The NBA announced that Houston Rockets center Alperen Şengün will replace Oklahoma City guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander for the World team in the All-Star Game on February 15.
Gilgeous-Alexander will be sidelined through the All-Star Game with an abdominal injury he suffered on February 3 in a win over the Orlando Magic. He is expected to be reevaluated after the All-Star break.
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Last year’s MVP has averaged 31.8 points, 6.4 assists and 4.4 rebounds. The Thunder lead the NBA standings at 40-13.
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This is the second straight All-Star appearance for Şengün. The 23-year-old has averaged 20.8 points, 9.4 rebounds and 6.3 assists this season. Şengün is one of three players averaging at least 20.0 points, 9.0 rebounds and 6.0 assists this season, joining the Hawks’ Jalen Johnson and Nuggets’ Nikola Jokić. Both players were also selected for the All-Star Game.
Şengün will represent Turkey in the new All-Star format that will be played, featuring two US teams and one World team in a robin-round mini-tournament with four 12-minute games.
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Şengün will join players such as Jokić, the Spurs’ Victor Wembanyama and Lakers’ Luka Dončić on the World team. The team will be coached by Raptors head coach Darko Rajaković.
Şengün will also join Rockets forward Kevin Durant in the game. The Rockets join the Pistons, Lakers, Knicks and Nuggets as teams that have multiple All-Stars.
Durant will play for the USA Stripes team. Durant has averaged 25.9 points, 5.3 rebounds and 4.4 assists in his first season with the Rockets. The Rockets are 32-19.