Among Western Conference frontcourt players, Houston Rockets center Alperen Sengun finished fifth in 2024 All-Star fan voting, according to Thursday’s final voting tally from the NBA.
Sengun is the only Houston player who finished the top 10 of fan voting for either frontcourt or backcourt players in the West. The third-year Turkish sensation clearly made an impression among fan voters, who placed him ahead of marquee names such as Los Angeles Clippers stars Kawhi Leonard and Paul George, as well as highly touted San Antonio Spurs rookie Victor Wembanyama.
The only frontcourt players ahead of Sengun are future Hall of Famers: LeBron James and Anthony Davis of the Lakers; Nikola Jokic of the Denver Nuggets; and Kevin Durant of the Phoenix Suns.
The fan vote accounted for half of the voting that determined 2024 All-Star starters. Players make up 25%, as does a panel of media members. Sengun finished 11th in player and media voting (results).
Three voting groups determined the starters:
▪️ Fans (50%)
▪️ NBA players (25%)
▪️ Media panel (25%)Complete voting results here: https://t.co/7NuxV72HZh
Below are the overall scores for the top finishers at each position. pic.twitter.com/nTZD7buDOG
— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) January 26, 2024
Ultimately, to no surprise, it was James, Durant, and Jokic who earned the three starting frontcourt spots in the West.
However, Sengun could still qualify as a reserve, with those announcements expected to be made on Thursday, Feb. 1. All 30 NBA head coaches are given a ballot to select three frontcourt players, two backcourt players, and two wild-card picks from each conference.
If selected, a reserve could become a starter this year, should one of the starters be injured or choose not to participate. The 2024 NBA All-Star Game will be held on Feb. 18 in Indianapolis.
Just 21 years old and in his third NBA season, Sengun is averaging 22.1 points (54.1% FG), 9.2 rebounds, 5.1 assists and 1.2 steals in 32.8 minutes. As a team, Houston (20-23) has slightly overachieved relative to its win-loss record expectations, and that could bolster the All-Star case for its best player during a breakout campaign.
The full list of #Rockets who received votes from NBA players to start the All-Star Game:
Alperen Sengun: 23
Fred VanVleet: 9
Jalen Green: 9
Dillon Brooks: 9
Jabari Smith Jr.: 7
Tari Eason: 2
Cam Whitmore: 2
Nate Williams: 2
Jeff Green: 1
Boban: 1
Jermaine Samuels Jr.: 1— Ben DuBose (@BenDuBose) January 26, 2024
