Alperen Sengun shouldering burden for Rockets only an MVP can relate to

As the Houston Rockets have attempted to account for the loss of starting point guard Fred VanVleet, franchise center Alperen Sengun has been asked to take on a plurality of new duties in order to help keep the offense afloat.

Now, not only is Sengun expected to score at All-Star caliber levels, but he must also facilitate like a true point center in order to help grant the team the spacing and flow they need to stay competitive.

Undoubtedly, there is no player who can understand this burden more than multi-time MVP Nikola Jokic, and, although Sengun has tried to duck comparisons to the Serbian big man throughout his career, it might be time for him to embrace them as he takes on the next evolution in his game.

Alperen Sengun and Nikola Jokic might be closer in stature than many think

For years now, what has made Jokic so special is his ability to do seemingly everything on offense for the Denver Nuggets. He can shoot from anywhere on the court, dominate physically in the paint, and complete seemingly impossible passes on a constant basis.

Sengun was already well on his way to being able to accomplish the first two of these things as he entered his fifth season in the NBA. While he struggles at times to finish at the rim and has been a sub-par perimeter shooter throughout his career to this point, it looked as though he took major leaps in both of these areas during the EuroBasket tournament this offseason.

However, the need for him to become an elite facilitator arose only as a result of the injury to VanVleet. While Sengun averaged 4.9 assists en route to an appearance in the All-Star Game last season, there was no obvious sign that he would be able to excel in that role as quickly as he has this season.

Through the Rockets' first four games, he has posted 6.9 assists per 36 minutes, fielding passes all over the court and operating not only from the paint but also from the top of the key and the elbows when needed.

Moreover, his turnovers have stayed relatively limited as well even in the midst of his increased passing workload, indicating an burgeoning level of comfort with his own vision and judgement.

In addition to this, Sengun is still being asked to fill much of the role he once filled, at times operating like the team's star scorer, their rim protector, and their offensive facilitator all in one possession.

The team rises or falls with Sengun, and, although the presence of a player of Durant's caliber makes this task slightly easier, few apart from Sengun and Jokic can comprehend the burden that the Rockets have placed upon their center.