Alperen Şengün’s NBA Rise: From Türkiye to Houston Rockets Star

By Ahmet Taş | Wise News Press
ANKARA, TÜRKİYE — Alperen Şengün has turned his journey from Giresun to the Houston Rockets into one of the most important Turkish basketball stories of the modern NBA era.

The 2.11-meter center is no longer viewed simply as a promising international prospect. Through elite passing, post scoring, rebounding, playmaking and repeated statistical milestones, Şengün has become a franchise-level player for the Rockets and one of the most recognizable Turkish athletes in world basketball.

From Giresun to professional basketball

Alperen Şengün was born on July 25, 2002, in Giresun, Türkiye. The uploaded biography lists him as a center for the Houston Rockets, wearing number 28, and notes that he represents the Turkish national basketball team at international level.

Şengün showed interest in basketball from a young age. He also practiced swimming and gymnastics, but eventually focused fully on basketball because of time limitations. His early athletic background helped shape the balance, coordination and body control that later became visible in his low-post game.

His development began in Türkiye, where he played in youth systems before being discovered by Bandırma BK. That move became the first major step in a career that would soon accelerate toward the NBA.

Bandırma and Beşiktaş built the foundation

Şengün started his professional career with Bandırma Kırmızı in the Turkish Basketball League. During the 2018-19 season, he played 29 games and averaged 10.8 points, 6.8 rebounds and 1.2 assists. Those numbers were impressive for a teenager competing against older and stronger players.

He later moved into Bandırma BK’s senior team, gaining experience in the Basketball Super League, Basketball Champions League and Turkish Cup. When Bandırma BK closed because of financial problems, Şengün became a free agent and signed with Beşiktaş in 2020.

The Beşiktaş season changed everything. In 2020-21, Şengün averaged 19.2 points, 9.4 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 1.3 steals and 1.7 blocks per game in the Turkish Basketball Super League. On May 12, 2021, he was named the league’s Most Valuable Player.

That MVP season made NBA scouts take him seriously. His production was not based only on size. He had advanced footwork, touch around the rim, quick decision-making and rare passing instincts for a young center.

NBA Draft and the Houston Rockets move

Şengün entered the 2021 NBA Draft and was selected 16th overall in the first round by the Oklahoma City Thunder before being traded to the Houston Rockets.

Houston was rebuilding at the time, and Şengün quickly became one of the most intriguing pieces of the young core. He made his NBA debut on October 20, 2021, against the Minnesota Timberwolves, recording 11 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists and 3 steals.

His rookie season showed both promise and adjustment challenges. He played 72 games, started 13 and averaged 9.6 points, 5.5 rebounds and 2.6 assists in 20.7 minutes per game.

What stood out most was his feel for the game. Even in limited minutes, Şengün could pass from the post, attack with fakes, read cutters and create offense in ways that are uncommon for young centers.

Youngest center records and the Jokić comparison

By his second NBA season, Şengün’s role expanded significantly. He became a regular starter and started breaking age-based records. The uploaded biography notes that he became the youngest center in NBA history to reach 1,000 points and 200 assists. He also became the youngest center to record a triple-double and the youngest player in Houston Rockets history to do so.

On January 12, 2023, he recorded his first career triple-double against the Sacramento Kings with 10 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists. Days later, against the Los Angeles Lakers, he produced 33 points, 15 rebounds, 6 assists and 4 blocks, becoming the youngest center in NBA history to record at least 30 points, 10 rebounds and 5 assists in a game.

His style naturally brought comparisons with Nikola Jokić. The comparison is not about identical dominance, but about offensive function: both players can operate as passing hubs from the post and high elbow areas.

Jokić himself praised Şengün in November 2022, saying Houston should play through him more because of his passing, post game and ability to create different offensive looks.

The 2023-24 season turned him into a team star

The 2023-24 season was the year Şengün moved from promising young player to Houston’s main offensive reference. The Rockets picked up his fourth-year option, and Şengün responded with one of the best seasons of his career.

On November 1, 2023, he became the youngest center in NBA history to reach 500 assists, surpassing Nikola Jokić’s previous record. He continued to produce big scoring, rebounding and playmaking games throughout the season.

His most historic night came on March 6, 2024, against the San Antonio Spurs. Facing Victor Wembanyama, Şengün scored 45 points, added 16 rebounds, 3 assists and 5 steals, and broke Mehmet Okur’s record for the most points by a Turkish player in an NBA game.

That performance confirmed that Şengün could dominate not only through skill and creativity, but also through star-level scoring responsibility.

All-Star status and a historic contract

The 2024-25 season brought another major step. Şengün agreed to a five-year, $185 million contract extension with the Rockets. The uploaded biography identifies it as the largest contract in Turkish sports history.

He also became an NBA All-Star in 2025, becoming the first Turkish player selected since Mehmet Okur in 2007. The biography notes that he joined Hakeem Olajuwon and Yao Ming among the youngest Rockets players selected to the All-Star Game.

Şengün’s first playoff experience came against the Golden State Warriors. Houston lost the series, but he led the Rockets in points, rebounds, assists and steals, averaging 20.9 points, 11.9 rebounds, 5.3 assists and 1.9 steals.

That playoff series showed that his game could translate to higher-pressure basketball, even when opponents focused their defensive schemes on him.

Durant era and second All-Star selection

In the 2025-26 season, Şengün’s role expanded again as Houston’s offense evolved with the arrival of Kevin Durant. The uploaded text says Şengün opened the season with 39 points, 11 rebounds and 7 assists in a double-overtime loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder, while also making five three-pointers, a career high.

Early in the season, he averaged 22.4 points, 10.2 rebounds, 7.4 assists and 1.4 steals over the first 11 games, while shooting a career-best percentage from three-point range during that stretch.

He later earned a second All-Star selection in 2026. According to the biography, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver added him to the All-Star roster as an injury replacement for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

Two All-Star selections by age 23 confirmed that Şengün had moved beyond prospect status. He had become one of the NBA’s leading young big men.

Türkiye national team leadership

Şengün has also become the face of Türkiye’s national basketball team. He represented Türkiye at youth levels, winning bronze at the 2018 FIBA U16 European Championship and silver at the 2019 FIBA U18 European Championship.

At senior level, his role grew quickly. At EuroBasket 2025, he became Türkiye’s central player and one of the tournament’s brightest stars. The uploaded text says he averaged 21.6 points, 10.1 rebounds and 6.6 assists over nine games and was selected to the All-Tournament Team.

In the quarterfinal against Poland, he recorded a triple-double with 19 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists, becoming the youngest player in European Championship history to record a triple-double.

His national team performances strengthened his image not only as an NBA star, but as the leader of a Turkish basketball generation.

A modern center with old-school skill and new-age vision

Şengün’s game is difficult to define in one category. He is 2.11 meters tall, weighs about 110 kilograms and has a 2.13-meter wingspan. He plays primarily as a center but can also be used as a power forward, especially with the Turkish national team.

His offensive game is built on low-post footwork, spin moves, touch, screens, short-roll passing, offensive rebounding and court vision. NBA scouts saw him before the draft as one of the most talented and productive big men in the class.

Early defensive concerns were part of his scouting profile, but he has improved through positioning, physical development, hands and anticipation. Today, his greatest value is that he can be both a scorer and a creator. Houston can run offense through him, not merely finish possessions with him.

Conclusion: Türkiye’s global basketball star

Alperen Şengün’s rise has already changed how Turkish basketball is viewed in the NBA. From Giresun to Bandırma, from Beşiktaş MVP to Houston Rockets franchise player, his path has been defined by skill, intelligence and steady growth.

His records, All-Star selections, playoff production and EuroBasket leadership show that he is not a temporary success story. He is one of the defining international big men of his generation.

For Houston, Şengün is a cornerstone. For Türkiye, he is a national basketball leader. For the NBA, he represents the future of the center position: a player big enough to control the paint, skilled enough to pass like a guard and smart enough to organize an entire offense.

WiseNewsPress.com