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Esil Korkmaz

The Next Big NBA Star: Alperen Şengün


San Francisco vs Houston Rockets

Alperen Şengün continues to do wonders at the NBA. The 22-year-old Turkish basketball player just became the first center in the NBA’s history to achieve a triple-double in consecutive games and the first player in the Houston Rockets’ history to achieve a triple-double in consecutive games since James Harden in 2020. However, he is still considered criminally underrated by most. So, who is Alperen Şengün, and why is he special?


His Background

Alperen Şengün was born on July 25, 2002, in Giresun, Türkiye. Even though his parents wanted him to be a swimmer, he chose to pursue basketball. He started playing basketball at 8 years old and competed in both basketball and swimming in his early years. However, after having to decide between the two of them due to time constraints, he continued with basketball. He is currently 2.11 meters tall, weighs 110 kilograms, and has a 2.13-meter wingspan. He plays both as a center and a power forward.


Before Houston Rockets


Şengün signed his first professional contract with Bandırma Kırmızı, a team in the Turkish Basketball League. During the 2018-19 season, he played in 29 matches, averaging 10.8 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 1.2 assists. He rose to the Bandırma BK A team in 2019. In the 2019-20 season, Şengün played in 22 matches in the Basketball Super League, averaging 5 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 0.6 assists. In the Basketball Champions League, he played 15 games, averaging 6.6 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 0.6 assists. At the end of the season, Bandırma BK closed down because of economic reasons, resulting in Şengün and his teammates becoming free agents.


On 7 August 2020, Şengün signed a three-year contract with Beşiktaş JK, which was looking to restructure with young players. During his time in Beşiktaş, he reached the highest number of blocks in a match in the league since the 2013-14 season. On January 26, 2021, he competed in his first-ever match in the FIBA Europe Cup, and in the three matches he played, he managed to average  23 points, 7.3 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 1.7 steals, and  2 blocks. Following the Europe Cup, Şengün achieved averages of 19.2 points, 9.4 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 1.3 steals, and 1.7 blocks in 29 games, playing 28.3 minutes per game in the 2020-21 Basketball Super League season. On May 12, 2021, he was selected as the MVP of the league and announced that he would participate in the NBA Draft that same year. Following the news, NBA commentators and spectators regarded him as one of the “most talented” and “creative” powers who have participated in the 2021 NBA Selections because of his “dominant” season in the Türkiye League.


2021-2022 Rookie Season at Houston Rockets


Şengün was selected by the Oklahoma City Thunder as the 16th pick in the first round of the 2021 NBA Draft and was traded to the Houston Rockets in exchange for two future first-round draft picks. He signed a contract with the Rockets on August 7, 2021. Şengün was selected for the NBA All-Star Rookie Game roster held on February


Şengün during the NBA All-Star Rookie Game

19 because of his performance. In the match on March 9, 2022, where they defeated the Los Angeles Lakers 130-139 in overtime, Şengün scored 21 points and grabbed 14 rebounds. However, in the 2021-22 season, Şengün missed a total of 10 games due to his injuries and played a total of 72 games; he started 13 of these games in the starting five. In his rookie season, Şengün averaged 9.6 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 2.6 assists in 20.7 minutes per game, shooting 47.4% from the field. He started the season as the backup for Christian Wood and became a starter when Wood left mid-season.


2022-2023 Development Season


Because Şengün was competing in the 2022 European Championship with the Turkish National Team, he missed the 2022 NBA Summer League and a couple of friendly matches. Before the season, the Rockets signed Bruno Fernando for the spot of Christian Wood after he transferred to the Dallas Mavericks, meaning Alperen was once again regarded as a backup. However, after Fernando's injury, he was promoted to the starting five.


On December 6, he scored 8 points and had an assist against the Philadelphia 76ers, meaning when he was 20 years and 133 days old, he became the youngest center to score 1,000 points and create 200 assists, surpassing the records of Brad Daugherty, Alcan Adams, Bam Adebayo, and Nikola Jokič.


He did his first triple-double with 10 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists against the Sacramento Kings on January 12, 2023, making him the youngest center in NBA history and the youngest player in Rockets history to complete a triple-double.


However, this was only the start of the many records he was going to break. On January 17 against the Los Angeles Lakers, Şengün averaged 33 points, 15 rebounds, 6 assists, and 4 blocks, breaking his personal point record. He also became the youngest center in NBA history to reach the 30 points, 10 rebounds, and 5 assists statistics by surpassing Shaquille O’Neal. Furthermore, he became the youngest player in Rockets history to average at least 30 points and 10 rebounds in one match, breaking Hakeem Olajuwon’s record from 1984.


Şengün completed his career's second tripe-double against the Washington Wizards with 21 points, 11 rebounds, and 10 assists on January 26, becoming the youngest center in NBA history to complete more than one triple-double before reaching 21 years old.


Şengün broke his personal rebound record on April 7 against the Charlotte Hornets by averaging 14 points and 21 rebounds in one match, becoming the U20 center with the most assists in one match and surpassing the records of Chris Webber, DeMarcus Cousins, Nikola Jokić, and his own from his rookie season.


Alperen completed the 2022-2023 season with 72/75 starting fives and averages of 28.9 minutes, 14.8 points, 9 rebounds, 3.9 assists, 0.9 blocks and steals while playing with 55.3% precision on the court.


Soon, he caught the attention of other star NBA players, and his abilities were described as magnificent. He was complimented by Nikola Jokić, Kevin Durant, and Paul George. Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards also stated that the team should be constructed around Alperen.


2023-2024 an Emerging Star

Şengün became the youngest center in NBA history to reach 500 assists on November 1 in the game against the Charlotte Hornets, while he was 21 years and 99 days old, breaking Nikola Jokič’s record of 22 years and 40 days.


On November 7, at a match against the Sacramento Kings, Alperen played with 17 points, 8 rebounds, and 12 assists, breaking his personal assist record and sharing the title of the center with the most assists in one match with Hakeem Olajuwon.


In the match against the Los Angeles Lakers on November 20, Şengün created 5 assists, scored 23 points, and had 10 rebounds, making a double-double in 31 minutes and becoming the youngest player in Rockets history to reach 2k points, 1k rebounds, and 500 assists by breaking the record of Rodney McCray.


Şengün played with 30 points, 16 rebounds, 5 assists, and 4 steals against the Indiana Pacers on December 27, making him the third player to achieve these statistics at the age of 21 after Michael Jordan and Magic Johnson.


On January 8, 2024, Alperen was chosen as the “NBA Western Conference Player of the 11. Week” and throughout the week, he played with an average of 24 points, 7 rebounds, and 4.5 assists.


On March 6, 2024, in a game where they defeated the San Antonio Spurs, Şengün played with 45 points, 16 rebounds, 3 assists, and 5 steals, breaking his career records for points and steals. With his 45 points, he surpassed Mehmet Okur, who scored 43 points in 2009, marking the highest points scored in a single game by a Turkish player in the NBA. Along with Anthony Davis, Joel Embiid, James Harden, and John Drew, he became the fifth player to achieve 45+ points, 15+ rebounds, and 5+ steals in a game since the statistics began being recorded in the 1973-74 season, and at 21 years and 224 days old, he became the youngest player to reach these statistics.


On March 7, Alperen achieved his second triple-double of the season with 23 points, 19 rebounds, and a career-high 14 assists, becoming the first center in NBA history to reach these numbers in a single game.


Unfortunately, 3 days later, after colliding with Sacramento Kings' center Domantas Sabonis, Şengün sprained his right ankle and suffered a bone injury in his right knee. He became unable to walk and was taken off the court in a wheelchair amid applause at the Golden 1 Center.


2024-2025 with a New Contract

Şengün and Rockets came to an agreement on a 5-year, 185 million dollar contract. He then recorded 16 points, 10 rebounds, 10 assists, 2 blocks, and 2 steals against the Los Angeles Clippers, achieving his fifth career triple-double. Two days later, on November 18, against the Chicago Bulls, Şengün had 20 points, 11 rebounds, 11 assists, and 2 blocks in 25 minutes; he became the first Rockets player since James Harden in 2020 to record triple-doubles in consecutive games.


He has also recently become the first player in NBA history to have recorded at least 3,000 points, 1,500 rebounds, and 700 assists while playing fewer than 6,000 minutes through the first three seasons of a career. He is currently averaging 17.5 points, 11.1 rebounds, 4.9 assists, and a player impact estimate of 17.7.


Şengün and Fred VanVleet

Şengün’s harmony with his teammates and Fred VanVleet is especially noteworthy. The chemistry of the duo on the court can be observed even with the naked eye, and it is also reflected in the statistics. In fact, right now, the assists made by Fred to Alperen are the most common duo combination in the NBA. According to Bradeaux's report, VanVleet has made a total of 45 assists to Alperen this season, leading the league in this category. Additionally, they are also at the top on average with 3.8 assists per game.


What’s Special About Him?

It seems from the data that Alperen Şengün has some solid stats, and he breaks a new record almost every week. However, according to the ranking released by ESPN on October 15, despite his many records, he is only the 54th-best player in the NBA.

Most found ESPN’s ranking unjust and called them out on several social media platforms like X or Reddit. There were even articles published, listing players who should have been lower in rankings than Alperen. The controversy led many to believe and speak out about how Şengün is currently one of the most underrated young players in the NBA in terms of publicity.


Possessing a solid body and wide base, Şengün is known for a versatile and highly efficient low post game, utilizing drop steps, spin moves, and fadeaways. He also has impressive and elite passing ability, which observers see as an improved feel for the field. His ability to open space on the field, set a screen, cut toward the rim, and make plays within the flow of the attack is at a high level. As a defender, he is effective in one-on-one ball matchups against other big players, but his defense, in general, is found questionable by commentators.


Alperen’s abilities are commonly compared with those of European powers like Domantas Sabonis and Nikola Vučević, as well as other powers like Kevin Love, Bobby Portis, Kevin McHale, and Tom Gugliotta. However, his name is most frequently heard with Nikola Jokič, who is a three-time winner of the NBA MVP award, one-time NBA champion, six-time All-Star, and one-time NBA Finals MVP. Many believe Jokič is the inspiration behind Şengün’s game, some even calling Şengün the “next Nikola Jokič.”


How is the NBA evolving?

Many NBA spectators believe that European players in general tend to be more patient and selfless during the game. They make more passes, and rather than dribbling on their own to score, they are more dependent on teamwork. Sports Illustrated has touched on the issue in an article named “Survival of the Skillest: How Europeans are Setting New NBA Trends”. From the article, it can be seen that the NBA is evolving to become more teamwork-friendly with the success of recent European players.

However, this wasn’t the case a couple of years ago, when there were tens of articles coming out every month trying to figure out why European players were failing in the NBA, and the answer was always the same: They were playing too selfless for the team rather than being selfish. So, how did something that used to be detrimental for players begin to change the nature of the NBA and become beneficial?


This is where players like Şengün come in. A distinct trait of Şengün is that even though he is patient and more associated with basketball IQ and playmaking, he can get down and get agile when he wants to. When he gets to the ball to dunk, he can go extremely quick, almost like he is flowing through the defense and making it look easy. Players like him push the game to the next level. They are both team players and individual monsters. They have both the talent and the understanding of the game.


Another important skill of Şengün is his midrange shot skills. The popularity of mid-range shots has been on the decline for some time now. However, they are still considered a trademark skill for a great player, according to some commentators. Several NBA YouTube commentator channels believe that midrange shooting is an underrated skill, and the person who shoots a midrange is the person who will end up being a superstar, as midrange held an important place in basketball in previous generations. In the past, superstars were often defined by their ability to consistently hit the mid-range jumper.


The 2 main prolific ways to score in the NBA today are three-point shots and dunking or around-the-rim finishes, and Şengün can do them too. He is considered one of the best dunkers in the NBA right now, coming in 14th with a score of 89.3. On the other hand, his 3-point shoot success percentage is relatively low compared to his other stats. His 3-point shots are 30.8% successful, which, even though not low, is not the best either considering that the top three-point percentage belongs to Nikola Jokić with 56.4%.


Comments on Alperen's footwork

Besides his shots, Alperen is consistently praised for how light he is on his feet, allowing him to have great footwork as well as dribbling abilities. He knows how to make extravagant passes but also simple ones, making him consistent and displaying why he has solid assists every game. Besides his athleticism, Şengün is also known for his high basketball IQ. He knows the ins and outs of the game and makes the right reads, making him a player who is not only dependent on athletic abilities.


When Şengün finds an unstoppable signature move that he can do every match, some believe he will carry himself to the next level and even surpass Jokič with his combination of abilities, since Jokič lacks Alperen’s athleticism.


Publicity and NBA

Aside from actual performance in games, a big part of the NBA that determines players' popularity is advertisement and sponsorships or publicity in general. NBA players are known for their famous and high-figure sponsorships or collaborations, which pushes them to another level of stardom, an extremely famous example being the Michael Jordan and Nike collaboration. Jokič is still found underrated compared to his abilities, according to some commentators, because of his lack of public presence. Even though Jokič has 2 MVPs, he isn’t exactly the guy that has been marketed by the NBA. He has multiple interviews of him complaining about the celebrity life and wanting to be away from the spotlight. In Michael Porter Jr.’s recent podcast “Curious Mike," he talked about his thoughts on fame, stating, “Being famous, I think some people like it. I don't, really. When I finish my career, I really wish nobody knows me, and I really wish my kid or kids in the future really remember me as a dad, not as a basketball player." In contrast to Jokič, many believe that Alperen can be that guy who is loved by everyone and can market himself in advertisements to help the NBA make more money, but someone who can also play. He is the perfect player in the eyes of the NBA.


It is important to note that this is only Şengün’s 4th year in the NBA, and he is just 22 years old. He still has a lot of time and a long way to go. If he perfects his midrange and increases his three-point success percentage to approximately 40%, he might become one of the top 5 players in the NBA. It’s no surprise that he will continue to do wonders and break records while climbing the steps of stardom.


Edited by: Oya Yamaç, Yağmur Ece Nisanoğlu

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