NBA players took Alperen Sengun criticism one step too far

In The Athletic’s annual anonymous NBA player poll, Houston Rockets center Alperen Sengun was voted the most overrated player in the league. Of the 81 players who voted, Sengun led the way with 12.3% of the vote. He was the only player to receive more than 10%, with Rudy Gobert and Trae Young tied for second at 8.6%.

Sengun leading the vote comes as a surprise. He finished the season averaging 20.4 points, 8.9 rebounds, and 6.2 assists. Those per-game averages were matched by only two other players: Nikola Jokic and Jalen Johnson.

On top of that, Sengun was the second-best player on the fifth seed in a loaded Western Conference and earned the second All-Star selection of his career. Despite everything Sengun proved this season, his peers clearly believe he receives too much credit.

Is Sengun actually overrated?

Sengun has obvious flaws. His most glaring weaknesses are his below-average shooting and defense.

However, Sengun is a center, which is the position where outside shooting matters least. The Rockets also finished sixth in defensive rating, proving they were able to build a strong defense around him despite his limitations. Houston held the Lakers to 101.2 points per game in the playoffs, well below the league's regular-season average of 115.6. Sengun’s defensive flaws are not why the Rockets faltered.

It is fair to say Sengun failed to carry Houston’s offense. The Rockets scored only 98.7 points per game in the postseason. But is that enough to call him overrated? Most Rockets fans would not expect Sengun to carry the offense by himself. The team brought in Kevin Durant last offseason to be the leader of the offense.

The bigger issue was the injury situation surrounding Durant, Fred VanVleet, and Steven Adams. That left Houston without enough offensive playmakers to have a functional offense.

Why do other NBA players think Sengun is overrated?

Due to Sengun’s unique passing ability at the center position, he was given the nickname “Baby Jokic.” Sengun is obviously not Jokic.

It is possible some of these anonymous players are holding onto those Jokic comparisons. Whenever a young player is compared to an all-time great, it is easy to point out all of the reasons why the all-time great is better.

Sengun may not be Jokic, but he is still one of the most unique offensive centers in the league. This season, Sengun became the fourth center in league history to average over six assists per game.

Other NBA players may also feel Sengun spends too much time talking to referees. One player who voted in the poll was quoted as saying: “He's crying every play. He's talented, but, dude, just play hard.”

Rockets fans would likely agree with that criticism. Despite his tendency to complain to referees, Sengun clearly has a huge impact when he is engaged.

So, is Sengun overrated? It is possible his offense-first style means he puts up statistics while giving some points back on the other end. But Houston needs his offense, and the Rockets have already proven they can cover up his defense. Even if Sengun is slightly overrated, calling him the most overrated player in the league is clearly an overstatement.

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