Houston Rockets star Alperen Sengun is one of the best big men in basketball right now and he is showing he is showing just that in the ongoing EuroBasket 2025 where he is playing for Turkey. However, some thought he miscalculated with his comments on Giannis Antetokounmpo after their semis match.
The Turkish center led his team to victory over Greece to book a finals ticket (which they lost against Germany to settle for silver) and immediately expressed how happy they were in stopping the Greek Freak.
They limited Antetokounmpo to 12 points in that game to stomp on Hellas, 94-68. The goal entering the game was to limit the Milwaukee Bucks star and Sengun thought they did it well because they got Antetokounmpo figured out.
“He’s not a great passer,” Sengun told reporters after the game.
“He’s an amazing player, you know, but he’s not a great passer. So we just tried to help and jump to close the paint.”
That was a bold take since Giannis is also a playmaker for the Bucks that Doc Rivers is planning to have him as point forward next season.
Greece coach calls Alperen Sengun a kid
Sengun played in the Euro like someone who will take it all. He played like a grown man already but for Greece coach Vassilis Spanoulis, he might need to tone down in his comments about Antetokounmpo.
Greece won the bronze medal after defeating Finland in the Battle for 3rd. Giannis finished with 30 points, 17 rebounds, and six assists.
Spanoulis took this time to criticize Sengun for his remarks on Giannis saying he is just a kid. He also responded to claims that Turkey stopped Giannis in that semis game.
“Sengun is just a very young kid to be talking about Giannis,” Spanoulis told reporters.
“And secondly, we have plenty of options. If the Turkish team thinks they locked down Giannis, that’s nonsense. I’m a man who always tells the truth — I respect Coach Ataman, we have a great relationship.”
Greece got their first medal in EuroBasket since 2009. The last time they won it was in 2005.
As for Turkey, they are still without a gold medal.
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