Latest NBA experiment all but guarantees Alperen Sengun a future gift

The Houston Rockets were thrilled to see Alperen Sengun qualify for the All-Star game in 2024-25. The league's most prominent exhibition game will feature a new format in 2025-26, virtually guaranteeing that Sengun will make another appearance.

This year, Shams Charania is reporting that the league is likely to shift to a round-robin All-Star tournament. The tournament will feature 3 teams of 8. Two teams will be from the USA, and one will be an international team. For the mathematically challenged, that means Sengun only has to be one of the 8 best international players in the NBA to make the cut.

Will he meet that threshold.

Rockets' Alperen Sengun is one of the NBA's best international players

It'll be interesting to see how the league settles some cases of ambiguous nationalities.

Take Domantas Sabonis. He represents Team Lithuania in international play, but he was born in Portland. Is he an obstacle for Sengun, or will the league put him on one of the American teams?

How about Joel Embiid? He was born in Cameroon, but he has American (and French) citizenship. Embiid plays for Team USA internationally.

For argument's sake, let's first assume both players represent Team USA. Sengun would be a shoo-in. Only Nikola Jokic, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and Luka Doncic are assured spots ahead of him. Victor Wembanyama will provide tough competition, but if the Rockets remain significantly better than the Spurs, that will sway voters. Pascal Siakam is another difficult call, and so will Franz Wagner

Sengun should be better than Kristaps Porzingis, Jamal Murray, and Lauri Markkanen. Let's circle back to Sabonis and Embiid. The Kings are a listless team that won't factor in the West. Embiid's health status ahead of 2025-26 is in question. Having exhausted the options, here's a prediction for the inaugural International All-Star Team.

NBA International All-Star Team

Nikola Jokic
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
Giannis Antetokounmpo
Luka Doncic
Victor Wembanyama
Alperen Sengun
Franz Wagner
Pascal Siakam

How formidable would that squad be?

Rockets' Alperen Sengun is primed for a big season

It's certainly a large group. Gilgeous-Alexander is the only guard.

That's fine. There's no shortage of guard skills here. Antetokounmpo and Wagner can initiate from the perimeter. Sengun has ample experience playing the 4 alongside fellow big men. This will work.

Perhaps I'm getting ahead of myself. Embiid could be healthy. Porzingis could have a career year in Atlanta. Someone like Dyson Daniels could have a breakout season. The Kings could be better than advertised.

Sure. Nothing is impossible. Sengun remains a (very) safe bet to make a second straight All-Star game with the new format. He's already one of the best international players in the league, and he's still approaching his prime:

He should be making All-Star games for years to come.