ROCKETS’ ALPEREN SENGUN ISSUES PUBLIC APOLOGY FOR OUTBURST AGAINST REFEREE JENNA RENEAU
Alperen Sengun apologised to referee Jenna Reneau for his "immature" behaviour before being named a 2026 NBA All-Star replacement.
Referee Jenna Reneau, wearing number 93, watched over the Brooklyn Nets and Chicago Bulls game at Barclays Centre on November 1, 2024, right in the heart of Brooklyn.
But the bigger story lately involves Houston Rockets centre Alperen Sengun. He found himself in hot water after he called NBA official Jenna Reneau a “b——” several times during a game against the Boston Celtics on February 4, a night when the Rockets lost 114-93. The moment blew up online after audio caught exactly what Sengun said.
Sengun didn’t dodge the fallout. After the Rockets’ win against the Thunder on Saturday, he admitted he messed up. He called his outburst “immature” and said he has to do better. “It was just the heat of the moment, and I said some stuff I shouldn’t have said,” Sengun told William Guillory from The Athletic.
He didn’t stop there. Sengun went straight to the referees’ locker room after the game to apologise to Reneau in person. “I felt bad about it,” he said. “I shook her hand and apologised. That was immature of me. I should know better.”
“Sometimes, you can’t control yourself, but I should have known better,” he added. “It just happened in the heat of the moment. Then, she understood, and it was good on both ends.”
Sengun got tossed from the game late in the fourth quarter—just over six minutes left—after he yelled about a missed call when he didn’t get to the free-throw line. He’d blown by Luke Garza, only for Neemias Queta to block him at the rim. The Rockets were down by 25 at that point, and Sengun later admitted that the frustration from the loss boiled over.
On a brighter note, Sengun just locked in an All-Star spot. He’ll replace the injured Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, making this his second All-Star appearance. He’s joining Team World, stepping into the slot left open by the reigning MVP under the NBA’s new All-Star setup.
Sengun’s numbers back it up—he’s averaging 20.8 points, 9.4 rebounds, and a career-high 6.3 assists. A lot of fans thought he got snubbed when the All-Star reserves were first announced, especially with newcomers like Jamal Murray, Chet Holmgren, and Deni Avdija making the cut. Some even argued Sengun deserved a nod over LeBron James or his teammate, Kevin Durant.
Last week, Sengun talked about being left out. “It was disappointing for me, but it happens,” he told BasketNews. “There’s a lot of talent in the league, and I’m still young. I’m going to make it eventually, and it just makes me work harder.
“I still have goals; I’ve got to make it, and stuff like this just pushes me in a good way. I just have to work harder and stay disciplined, and hopefully I’ll have a lot of years in the NBA and a lot more All-Star games ahead.”
Meanwhile, the NBA might have to name another All-Star replacement if Giannis Antetokounmpo can’t return from his calf injury. That’s still up in the air.
LAKERS ON THE BRINK: LEBRON JAMES ADMITS DISAPPOINTMENT AFTER 3-0 SERIES DEFICIT
"We still have life." LeBron James remains defiant despite a brutal 131-108 loss to OKC at the Crypto.com Arena on Saturday.
The Los Angeles Lakers find themselves just one loss away from elimination after a tough 131-108 defeat to the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 3 of the Western Conference semifinals at Crypto.com Arena on Saturday night. Although the Lakers held a halftime lead for the second consecutive game, they again fell apart in the second half, allowing Oklahoma City to cruise to a 3-0 series lead.
LeBron James spoke after the game, highlighting the Thunder’s depth and relentless energy while emphasising that the Lakers still believe they have a chance to push the series further. The Thunder outscored Los Angeles 74-49 after halftime and once more dominated the third quarter, continuing a pattern that has largely defined this series.
“They’re solid from top to bottom,” James said after the game. “And they never take their foot off the gas.”
Oklahoma City converted at a 56 per cent clip and spread the scoring load, even though reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was only 7-of-20 from the field with 23 points. The Thunder’s supporting players reinforced the effort alongside Chet Holmgren, Ajay Mitchell, Jared McCain, and Alex Caruso.
LeBron pointed directly to the third quarter as the turning point for Game 3.
“Obviously, the third quarter is where it starts,” he noted. “We lacked the energy and effort, and they dropped over 30 points on us.”
Despite strong first-half performances from Rui Hachimura and Luke Kennard, giving Los Angeles a one-point lead at halftime, Oklahoma City seized control right after the break, forcing turnovers and capitalising on easy transition baskets.
“In that third quarter, we couldn’t hit shots,” James admitted. “We defended but didn’t get stops, which let them take control.”
The Lakers were outscored 33-20 in that quarter alone. James managed just one field goal, while Austin Reaves went scoreless in the period.
James finished the night with 19 points, eight assists, and six rebounds, but his shooting was off at 7-for-19, and he posted a minus-24 plus-minus rating.
Los Angeles also turned the ball over 17 times, which led to 30 points for the Thunder. Oklahoma City outscored the Lakers 64-44 in the paint as well.
When pressed about the frustration of falling behind 3-0, James kept his response measured.
“I can’t say I’m not disappointed or angry,” he said. “You’re obviously disappointed being down 3-0, but we still have life. That’s all you can ask for. We have to be much better on Monday.”
Lakers coach JJ Redick backed up James’ take, describing Oklahoma City as an elite team in the NBA.
“They’ve beaten us three straight games,” Redick said. “They’re a really impressive basketball team.”
Redick previously drew comparisons between the Thunder and dominant teams like the 1990s Chicago Bulls and the 2017-18 Golden State Warriors. James acknowledged Oklahoma City’s versatility and depth, which have caused significant matchup problems.
“They have the right personnel to adapt to whatever you throw out there,” James said. “And they stay productive no matter who’s on the floor.”
Even with Gilgeous-Alexander’s uneven scoring, the Thunder have continued to win comfortably. Holmgren’s inside presence has been dominant, and Mitchell once again put up a strong stat line with 24 points and 10 assists.
James wasn’t surprised by the Thunder’s sustained pressure, given their roster makeup.
“You’ve seen them develop over the years,” he said. “They have a lot of players who can do multiple things, and that depth really helps.”
The Lakers are still without Luka Doncic, sidelined with a Grade 2 hamstring strain from April, which has hampered their offensive rhythm, especially late in games.
Facing elimination now, James insisted the team’s focus remains squarely on Game 4 rather than any bigger questions about the group’s future.
"No", James said when asked if they considered this might be their last run together. “We’re just concentrating on the moment and moving forward from there.”
Game 4 is set for Monday night in Los Angeles, where the Lakers will fight to avoid a sweep and keep the series alive before heading back to Oklahoma City.
MAX HOLLOWAY BREAKS SILENCE ON PARAMOUNT REGARDING CONOR MCGREGOR UFC 329 RUMORS
Relive the 13-year history between Holloway and McGregor as the Hawaiian star targets International Fight Week for ultimate revenge.
Max Holloway is hungry for payback against Conor McGregor as rumours swirl about a rematch.
McGregor hasn’t stepped inside the octagon since that quick loss to Dustin Poirier at UFC 264 in 2021. His last win was way back in 2020 when he steamrolled Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone in under a minute. He was supposed to fight Michael Chandler in 2024, but that fell through after he got injured.
Now, at 37, McGregor’s back in training and eyeing a return for UFC 329 on July 11, right as International Fight Week rolls around. Before that, he missed out on a shot at the White House card, so this July date is shaping up to be his next window.
Dana White has flip-flopped a bit on McGregor’s comeback, but now he sounds confident: “It’s looking good. Believe me, you know once we get a deal done with him, we will announce it.” And right now, Holloway looks like the top pick for the fight, 13 years after they first went at it.
Back then, McGregor beat Holloway by decision. Since then, Holloway’s had his own ups and downs; he lost the BMF belt to Charles Oliveira in March and hasn’t fought since. Still, he’s eager to get back, especially if it means a shot at Conor.
Talking to Paramount, Holloway laid it out: “We have history. We fought a long time ago. If someone’s got a win over me, I want that back. If he really is serious about returning, and it looks like he is, then this is an exciting fight. He looks hungry. He even did a boxing exhibition not too long ago, so it looks like he’s really coming back. I just want another shot. Any fight with Conor is huge, but with our past? It means even more. If I can knock a few names off my list, that’s great.”
For now, Holloway hasn’t heard anything official from the UFC about July. "Maybe we'll see what happens,” he said. “I’m seeing all the same talk you are. I haven’t heard anything yet, but July would work for me. They say you’re only as good as your last fight, and I want people to forget about that one as soon as possible.”
