Houston Rockets center Alperen Şengün achieved a long-held goal Thursday when he was named an NBA All-Star for the first time in his career. Şengün was announced as one of the Western Conference reserves chosen by NBA head coaches to compete in the 2025 All-Star Game on Feb.

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

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.

Nearing real stardom, Şengün reflects on Rockets' belief in him: "Whoever trusts me, or backs me up, I will take care of them all my life."

Rockets' fourth-year center an icon in his home country, where Turkish fans and politicians support his career.

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

Rockets star Alperen Sengun earned the first NBA All-Star selection of his career, only needing one word to react to the news.

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,