The Houston Rockets are legit contenders this coming new season. They are consistently in the Top 3 of several power rankings. This is not only because of the arrival of Kevin Durant but because of the rise of Alperen Sengun and Amen Thompson.
Sengun was an All-Star last season and has been receiving comparisons to three-time MVP Nikola Jokic of the Denver Nuggets.
He is probably more than just a prototype of Jokic formula, at least according to his Turkey teammate.
Shane Larkin, the 18th overall pick in 2013, praised Sengun for his performance in EuroBasket 2025 where they finished runners up to Germany. He thinks the sky is the limit for the big man and he is already showing glimpses of greatness that he also sees in Jokic and another Top 3 NBA player Giannis Antetokounmpo.
“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,” Larkin said in an interview with Hoops Hype.
“You know, 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.”
Alperen Sengun makes it to Top 5 centers
Larkin is not alone in acknowledging the talent of Sengun. The hype is real.
Hoops Hype released its list of NBA Centers Power Rankings heading into the 2025-26 season and it listed Sengun at no. 4. It wrote:
Sengun is another center with that modern, skilled twist to his game, as he can not only score with his back to the basket or after facing up, but he can also rebound at a high level and make plays for teammates in a creative manner unbecoming of a traditional 5.
Above him are fellow All-Stars. Making the Top 3 are Jokic (#1), San Antonio Spurs’ Victor Wembanyama (#2), and New York Knicks’ Karl Anthony Towns (#3). Rounding out the Top 5 is Joel Embiid of the Philadelphia 76ers.
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