Lebron James says the quiet part out loud about Alperen Sengun's colossal offseason

As the Houston Rockets attempt to find a new offensive balance with superstar scorer Kevin Durant now on the roster, they will, ironically, need to lean more heavily on young center Alperen Sengun than ever before.

Yet, Sengun, who is coming off a massive offseason having led his native Turkiye to the EuroBasket final, can certainly take on the challenge, and Lebron James, on the latest episode of his Mind the Game podcast, has expressed complete confidence in his ability to do so.

Sengun, 23, has been one of the most dynamic centers in the league over the past year and a half, and, as the Rockets attempt to mount a run at the championship, they will need Sengun to become their best player in the process.

Alperen Sengun could be set for a massive year, and Lebron James knows it

Last season, after showing steady improvement in his game on both sides of the ball through his first three years in the league, Sengun veritably broke out, averaging 19.1 points, 10.3 rebounds and 4.9 assists while shooting 51.9% from the field and getting his first nod to the All-Star Game.

This summer in EuroBasket, however, Sengun's dominance reached new heights. Surrounded by perimeter shooters and off-ball cutters on the Turkiye squad, Sengun looked, at times, like the best player in the tournament, averaging 21.6 points, 10.1 rebounds and 6.6 assists (in 40-minute games, no less).

James, when asked about the players who played internationally this summer, highlighted Sengun as someone that can carry the momentum he garnered into the NBA season: "Hell of a summer. I think he's going to ride that wave right to Houston and have a big year for them."

With Houston's loss of starting point guard Fred VanVleet to a late-offseason ACL tear, Sengun will now need to become a bona-fide offensive facilitator for the team to have any chance of remaining near the top of the Western Conference.

So far, in the Rockets' first two preseason games, he has proven his ability to do so, posting 13 assists against the Utah Jazz with the benefit of the extra spacing and controlling of pace that Durant provides.

While Sengun's scoring does not necessarily need to increase any more, his domination of the boards and his ability to make the right passes could cement him among the top centers in the NBA yet again this season.

Praise from James, even if short-lived, carries serious weight, and Sengun is poised to live up to it for Houston this year.