Sengun emerged as one of the key snubs for the 2026 All-Star Game.
After his dominant 39-point, 16-rebound outing to lead the Houston Rockets' 118-114 Monday in Indiana against the Pacers, Alperen Sengun set the record straight if he is trying to make a statement after being snubbed in the 2026 All-Star reserves.
Houston Rockets / Schedule
For the Turkish star, it's way more than proving a point.
"It’s not about All-Star. I just got to prove myself," he told reporters. "I haven’t had a good month last month, and it’s just a new month. I just got to be aggressive, remember who I am and how I can dominate every game, and be confident and just go over there and kill it.
"That’s who I am, and that’s what I’m going to do every night I’m playing."
When the official list of the reserves for the East and West was unveiled last Sunday, the absence of Sengun's name raised eyebrows among many.
The star center has been impressive again for this 2025-26 campaign as the Rockets' franchise centerpiece. He is averaging a career-high 21.4 points with 9.4 boards and 6.3 assists in 41 games.
With Sengun's help, the Rockets are currently one of the league's elite. They are 4th in the West with a 31-17 record.
But in the end, he became one of the key snubs from the All-Star selections. From the West, the likes of Jamal Murray, Chet Holmgren and Deni Avdija have earned their first gigs to be able to be in LA later this month.
Although disappointed that he failed to secure his second career All-Star selection to join co-star Kevin Durant, Sengun remains optimistic to clinch more in the future.
"It’s my goal after this time, after last year’s, to be also every year. It was disappointing for me, but it happens," he said. "We have a lot of talents in the league, and I’m still young. I’m going to make it eventually, and it’s going to make me just work hard.
"I still have goals, I’ve got to make it, and stuff like this just always pushes me in a good way. I just got to work harder, be disciplined in what I’m doing, and hopefully I have a lot of years in the NBA and a lot of All-Stars I will make."
Thank you for being with us! Subscribe to BN+ and browse ad-free.
If you like our content, please click here and add us as your preferred source. It helps us a lot, and we are committed to delivering you the very latest basketball news.