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Houston Rockets' Alperen Sengun made his NBA All-Star debut in San Francisco at the Chase Center, becoming the second Turkish player in history to participate in the prestigious event after Mehmet Okur in 2007.
Despite being part of the new four-team tournament format, Sengun's playing time in the final game raised concerns about fairness and player distribution in the event.
Sengun played for Chuck's Global Stars, the team managed by NBA legend Charles Barkley.
His limited time in the final led to discussions about player rotations in the new All-Star format.
The new All-Star format, introduced this year, featured a race-to-40 system where the first team to reach 40 points won the game.
The structure, which aimed to make the event more engaging, left less room for equal playing time. Sengun acknowledged the nature of the format but hinted that more time for all players would have been beneficial.
"I was accepting that. It's a short game, 40-point game, and (in a) tight game you need stops," Sengun said. "Everybody could have played more. Because two years ago, we had the same thing. We just came here at night. We were here for 20 minutes, and then we left."
His comments reflect a broader concern about player participation in an event meant to bring together top talent from around the league.
The final game saw Boston Celtics' Jayson Tatum take control, scoring 15 of his team's 41 points to secure the win. Golden State Warriors' Stephen Curry, Milwaukee Bucks' Damian Lillard, and Los Angeles Clippers' James Harden were also instrumental in the victory.
Shaq's OGs had an experienced roster, featuring stars like Kevin Durant and LeBron James, which made it difficult for Barkley’s squad to keep up. Sengun’s team, which included international stars like Nikola Jokic, Victor Wembanyama, Pascal Siakam, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, struggled to generate enough offense.
Despite the limited time on the court, Sengun’s presence in the All-Star event marked an important milestone in his career. He had strong support in the fan voting process, ranking sixth among frontcourt players in the Western Conference.
While he appreciated the experience, the game’s format and the uneven distribution of minutes left room for debate. Some fans and analysts questioned whether the limited playing time given to younger stars like Sengun was fair in an event designed to feature both emerging and established talent.
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