Houston Rockets star Alperen Sengun is poised to be one of the most promising young big men in the league. Following an impressive run with Turkey at the 2025 EuroBasket, EuroLeague player and Turkish national team guard Shane Larkin highlighted the center’s potential.
In an interview with Hoops Hype, Larkin claimed Sengun was a combination of Giannis Antetokounmpo and Nikola Jokic. He said:
“I think Alperen is just like a different kind of breed. I think he’s just like this hybrid kind of player that doesn’t come around too often. There’s not one thing he cannot do on the floor. He can handle the ball, he can pass the ball, he can shoot the ball, he has touch around the rim, and he has IQ, and he has the flashiness.”
“You know, Giannis isn’t flavorful; he’s just so dominant. Like, he just runs through people, and he’s just so dominant in the way he plays, but you wouldn’t say Giannis has a flashy game.”
“Jokic is very fundamental, super high IQ, makes the incredible passes, but you wouldn’t say it’s like super flashy, flashy. So I think the combination of like the flair, the excitement, the talent, the IQ, all of it, and a 23-year-old kid that is only going to continue to grow and become better.”
With elite playmaking skills and impressive athleticism at his size, the big man blends qualities resembling those of Antetokounmpo and Jokic to emerge as one of the brightest young talents in the NBA.
Sengun’s performance at EuroBasket was nothing short of masterful. The 23-year-old showcased tremendous poise and skill while facing off against some of the best players in the world.
His performance against Greece in the semifinals was particularly noteworthy, as he went head-to-head against Antetokounmpo.
While implementing various strategies to motivate his team to stop the Greek forward, Sengun had himself a solid performance, notching 15 points, 12 rebounds, and six assists to aid his team’s efforts in securing a 94-68 blowout win.
With an average of 21.6 points, 10.1 rebounds, and 6.6 assists per game for the tournament, the big man led Turkey all the way to the Finals. Although they fell to Germany, Sengun cemented his reputation on the international stage.
Coming off an impressive series of performances for his national team, the 23-year-old will now look to play a central role in driving success for the Houston Rockets.
Last season, the Rockets’ center showed developmental potential as well as leadership skills, as he led Houston to a 52-30 record in the regular season, helping them secure the second seed for the postseason. For the 2024-25 regular season, he averaged 19.1 points, 10.3 rebounds, and 4.9 assists on 49.6% shooting overall.
Although Houston came up short against the Golden State Warriors in the first round, it is clear that the upcoming season is primed to be different.
After making significant roster upgrades, headlined by the acquisition of Kevin Durant this summer, the Rockets are in a position to contend for the championship.
With Sengun’s development over the offseason being a key storyline for the team, it will be intriguing to see how the young star fares against NBA competition with a newly improved roster supporting him.
