The 2026 NBA All-Star Weekend will be missing its marquee attraction after the league confirmed that reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander will not participate in the showcase event due to an abdominal injury sustained on February 3.

The Oklahoma City Thunder guard, who has been the face of the NBA this season following his first MVP campaign, was expected to be one of the central figures in the All-Star festivities at Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California. Instead, Houston Rockets center Alperen Şengün has been named as his replacement, marking the Turkish big man's second career All-Star selection.

The injury news compounds what has become a difficult stretch for All-Star organizers, as Golden State Warriors legend Steph Curry will also sit out due to injury. New Orleans Pelicans forward Brandon Ingram has been tabbed to take Curry's roster spot on Team USA Stripes.

For Şengün, the selection represents another milestone in what has been a meteoric rise through the NBA ranks. The 22-year-old center has established himself as one of the league's most unique talents, combining exceptional passing ability with dominant post play. His inclusion ensures that the Rockets will have representation at the All-Star Game as the franchise continues its resurgence.

The absence of Gilgeous-Alexander is particularly notable given the new format being unveiled this year. The 2026 All-Star Game will feature a round-robin mini-tournament pitting three teams against each other: Team USA Stars, Team USA Stripes, and Team World. This innovative approach was designed to inject more competitive fire into an event that has often been criticized for its lack of intensity.

Gilgeous-Alexander, the Canadian-born guard who plays for Team World, would have been the crown jewel of the international squad. His silky-smooth scoring ability and clutch performances throughout the regular season had fans eagerly anticipating his matchups against the best American talent. Now, Team World will need others to step up in his absence.

The All-Star Weekend is scheduled for February 14-15 at the state-of-the-art Intuit Dome, the new home of the Los Angeles Clippers. The venue, which opened to rave reviews, will host its first major NBA event with the eyes of the basketball world watching.

While losing two players of Gilgeous-Alexander and Curry's caliber is undoubtedly a blow to the spectacle, the replacements bring their own compelling storylines. Şengün represents the growing international influence on the NBA, while Ingram's selection rewards a player who has quietly been one of the league's most consistent scorers when healthy.

For Gilgeous-Alexander, the focus now shifts to recovery and ensuring he is ready for the stretch run of the regular season and the playoffs that follow. The Thunder have championship aspirations this year, and their MVP's health is paramount to those goals.

The silver lining for fans is that the new tournament format should still deliver compelling basketball, even without some of its biggest names. With three teams competing in a round-robin format, every possession could matter more than in previous All-Star Games, potentially giving us the competitive showcase the league has been seeking.

All-Star Weekend arrives in just days, and while the circumstances are not ideal, the show will go on at Intuit Dome.