When the NBA’s 2026 All-Star Game is contested in Inglewood, Calif. next weekend, the league’s reigning MVP won’t suit up to play for Team World in the first edition of the game divided on national lines.
Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is out with an abdominal strain suffered last Tuesday in a blowout win over the Magic. He is expected to miss at least five games and will be re-evaluated after next Sunday’s All-Star Game.
His absence created a vacancy on the international Team World roster, and commissioner Adam Silver filled it Sunday, tabbing Rockets center Alperen Şengün to fill the void. Şengün, 23, will now play in his second consecutive All-Star Game.
Gilgeous-Alexander is having another MVP-caliber season for Oklahoma City, averaging 31.8 points, 4.5 rebounds and 6.4 assists per game while posting a shooting slash line of .554/.390/.892 on the year. Şengün is having an impressive season in his own right, averaging 20.8 points, 9.4 rebounds and a career high 6.3 assists while shooting .496/.298/.693.
The Thunder boast the NBA’s best record at 40–13, while Houston trails them by six games in the loss column at 32–19.
NBA All-Star Game rosters with Alperen Şengün replacing Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
Like last year, the NBA All-Star Game will be played in a round-robin format, with a pair of teams comprised of American players—Team Stars and Team Stripes—as well as the international Team World. Here’s what the updated rosters look like:
| USA STRIPES | USA STARS | WORLD |
|---|---|---|
| Scottie Barnes, forward, Raptors | Jaylen Brown, guard, Celtics | Giannis Antetokounmpo, forward, Bucks (Greece) |
| Devin Booker, guard, Suns | Jalen Brunson, guard, Knicks | Deni Avdija, forward, Trail Blazers (Israel) |
| Cade Cunningham, guard Pistons | Stephen Curry, guard, Warriors | Luka Dončić, guard, Lakers (Slovenia) |
| Jalen Duren, center, Pistons | Kevin Durant, forward, Rockets | Alperen Şengün (Turkey) |
| Anthony Edwards, guard, Timberwolves | LeBron James, forward, Lakers | Nikola Jokić, center, Nuggets (Serbia) |
| Chet Holmgren, forward, Thunder | Kawhi Leonard, forward, Clippers | Jamal Murray, guard, Nuggets (Canada) |
| Jalen Johnson, forward, Hawks | Donovan Mitchell, guard, Cavaliers | Pascal Siakam, forward, Pacers (Cameroon) |
| Tyrese Maxey, guard, 76ers | Norman Powell, guard, Heat | Karl-Anthony Towns, center, Knicks (Dominican Republic) |
| Victor Wembanyama, center, Spurs (France) |
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Adam Silver Names Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's All-Star Game Replacement for Team World.
