The 2025 NBA All-Star event broke tradition with a fresh format, swapping the classic East vs. West showdown for a mini-tournament featuring four teams.
Among the standout players was Türkiye’s Alperen Şengün, who made history by becoming the second Turkish player after Mehmet Okur to play in an All-Star game.
Alperen’s performance, as part of Charles Barkley's team, took center stage in the final against Shaquille O'Neal's squad.
At just 22, the Houston Rockets center ranked sixth in the Western Conference and 11th across the entire NBA in fan voting, cementing his place as one of the game's rising stars.
This achievement followed in the footsteps of Okur, the first Turkish player to be selected to an All-Star game in 2007.
The 2025 All-Star’s new format included two exciting semifinal matchups before culminating in a final game.
In a break from past criticism of the East-West rivalry, the event featured high stakes and thrilling competition.
Alperen’s team, Team Chuck, included some of the NBA's biggest names: Nikola Jokic, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Victor Wembanyama, Pascal Siakam, Karl-Anthony Towns, Donovan Mitchell, and Trae Young.
In the first semifinal, Team Chuck dominated Kenny's Young Stars, securing a spot in the final.
Alperen impressed early in the game, shooting 2-for-2 and adding 4 points to his team’s total.
In the second semifinal, Shaquille O'Neal's team triumphed over Candace Parker’s Rising Stars, securing their place in the final.
The highly anticipated final saw Shaquille O'Neal’s team defeat Charles Barkley's squad 41-25. Alperen made history by stepping onto the court in the final’s final seconds, earning 19 seconds of playtime.
With that appearance, he became only the second Turkish player after Mehmet Okur to log minutes in an NBA All-Star game.
Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors was named the 2025 NBA All-Star MVP, contributing 12 points with four successful three-pointers in his team’s victory.
The victorious players were rewarded with $125,000 each, while the runners-up took home $50,000. All other All-Star participants also received a $25,000 reward for their contributions to the event.
