It is the first All-Star selection for Şengün, the 22-year-old center who over the last four seasons has helped to rebuild the Rockets into a playoff contender.

Alperen Şengün joined the Houston Rockets at the depths of their post-Harden rebuild in the 2021 NBA draft. The 22-year-old center is now an All-Star as Houston rises up the NBA hierarchy. Şengün’s been reaching new heights this season 🚀 Alperen Şengün is an #NBAAllStar! pic.twitter.com/GfTkVUlnKv

For the first time since the 2019-20 season (James Harden, Russell Westbrook), the Houston Rockets will be represented at this year’s All-Star Game.

The Houston Rockets (32-14) go for a season sweep of the Memphis Grizzlies (31-16) on Thursday night in a nationally televised game at FedEx Forum, the fourth and final game in the regular-season series between the Western Conference rivals.

All-Star center Alperen Sengun (bruised calf) missed his first game of the season for the Rockets, who gave Steven Adams his first start.

Houston Rockets center Alperen Sengun was selected as an All-Star reserve tonight on the NBA on TNT pregame show. Sengun, at 21 years old, joins seven other players on the Western Conference All-Star bench,