NBA All-Star Snub of Alperen Şengün Triggers Backlash in Türkiye

The NBA’s decision to exclude Alperen Şengün from the 2026 All-Star roster has been met with sharp criticism in Türkiye, where the omission is widely viewed as unjustified given his on-court production.

Şengün is a central figure for the Houston Rockets and the Türkiye national basketball team. This season, he is producing around 21 points, 9 rebounds and 6 assists per game, numbers that place him among the most productive big men in the league. These are not marginal contributions. They reflect a player who carries offensive responsibility, facilitates play and anchors possessions.

Beyond season averages, Şengün has delivered multiple triple-doubles, several against teams competing for playoff positions. In those games, he did not accumulate numbers in isolation. He dictated tempo, absorbed defensive pressure and functioned as the primary decision-maker in half-court sets. Few frontcourt players in the NBA are asked to do that consistently.

That body of work did not translate into All-Star recognition.

International and US outlets listed Şengün among the most notable omissions, grouping him with established names such as Kawhi Leonard and James Harden. In Türkiye, that framing only sharpened the reaction. The comparison raised a straightforward question. What threshold is being applied, and to whom?

The criticism is not emotional. It is statistical. Several selected players posted comparable or weaker season profiles, yet benefited from reputation, market visibility or legacy status. Şengün did not. His exclusion reinforces a long-standing concern that All-Star selection does not apply the same standard to emerging international players, particularly those operating outside the league’s largest media markets.

For Turkish basketball audiences, the decision is not read as a comment on Şengün’s season. It is read as a comment on the process. Performance was visible. Impact was measurable. Recognition did not follow.

This is the objection. The numbers are on the table. The omission stands.