Dec. 19, 2025, 12:02 p.m. CT
NEW ORLEANS — As the Houston Rockets finished up practice at Tulane University in preparation for Thursday’s matchup against the Pelicans (and what proved to be a frustrating loss), forward Kevin Durant and center Alperen Sengun spent extra time on the court improving their game.
That type of hard work and dedication has largely paid off this season, as the Rockets have jumped out to a 16-8 record and have become a formidable team in the Western Conference.
Durant and Sengun, along with forward Jabari Smith Jr. and guard Amen Thompson, had their names added to the NBA’s official 2025-26 All-Star ballot earlier this week. Over the next month, fans can cast one vote each day for All-Star Game starters.
From a Houston perspective, it’s inherently unlikely that all four players will make it to the Intuit Dome (the home of the Los Angeles Clippers) on Feb. 15 in Inglewood, California.
Still, Sengun should be a lock for his second straight appearance, as he’s averaging 23.5 points, 9.4 rebounds, and 7.1 assists per game. So, too, should Durant — who is seeking the 16th appearance of his Hall of Fame career.
When asked about making another All-Star team, Sengun told Rockets Wire:
Why not? That is what we worked for the whole summer. But I want success as a team — a winning team before anything. All-Star and other things come after that.
But of course, I would love to go there.
The NBA will roll out a new three-team format this year, with eight players per team (two U.S. teams and one World team), as they compete in a round-robin tournament of four games. Each game will last 12 game minutes, and the final two teams will play for the title.
Sengun, a native of Turkey, would play for the World team. Durant, an American, would play for one of the U.S. squads.