How good is Alperen Sengun?
Last season, the MVP of the Turkish Basketball League was a 19-year old born in Giresun. His name is Alperen Sengun and he has the potential of becoming one of the best European players.
Sengun is a product of the Bandirma Kirmizi academy and he had his senior debut in 2018-2019. In that season, he averaged 10.8 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 1.2 assists. In the following season, Alperen Sengun played fewer minutes and his numbers dropped: 4.9 points, 3.9 rebounds.
However, in 2020-2021, after his transfer to Besiktas, Sengun dominated the league. In 34 games, he averaged 18.6 points, 8.9 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 1.5 blocks, and 1.3 steals. Therefore, Alperen Sengun was named the MVP of T-BSL and he decided to enter the NBA Draft.
The Turkish sensation was drafted by the Houston Rockets with the 16th pick and he didn’t disappoint. In the Summer League, Sengun averaged 14.5 points and 10.8 rebounds in 25 minutes spent on the court. He shot 43.2% from the field, 37.5% from behind the arc, and 60.7% from the free-throw line.
Of course, the stats produced in the Summer League sometimes are deceiving, but Alperen Sengun looks like he is adapting well. There are a lot of areas where he could improve, starting with the physical side, but he has time. The Houston Rockets are going through a rebuilding process so they are paying more attention to the development of young players.
Alperen Sengun has the talent and he is in the right place. Let’s see what he does.
*photo: Garrett Elwood/NBAE via Getty Images
