Houston Rockets: What’s Alperen Sengun ceiling?

Houston Rockets’ rookie, Alperen Sengun, has quickly emerged as a foundational piece for the franchise. His swift acclimation to the NBA shouldn’t have come as a surprise. He was the MVP of the Turkish League, widely considered the third-best professional league in the world, as an 18-year-old. 

His MVP campaign saw him average 19.2 points and 9.4 rebounds per game on 64.6-percent shooting. The Rockets landing him with the 16th pick on draft night was a steal, and with each passing day it looks more and more like a Danny Ocean plotted heist.  

Through his first 14 games, Sengun has passed both the eye and metrics test. If given more playing time, he would be making a serious run at Rookie of the Year. 

The only disappointing part of Sengun’s rookie season has been his lack of playing time. He’s averaging 18.3 minutes per game, has only made two starts, and just had a game against the Oklahoma City Thunder where he only played five minutes. 

(Where’s Christopher Walken to tell Stephen Silas that they have a fever, and the only prescription is more Sengun when you need him?) 

Alperen Sengun should see his minutes tick up as the season goes on. The Rockets are rebuilding, and developing chemistry between him and Jalen Green will soon become one of the season’s priorities. The franchise’s timeline for contention hinges on the pair both hitting as good to great NBA players. 

Jalen Green is poised to become an All-Star, but what does Sengun’s future look like? If his rookie season is any indication, it appears to be blindingly bright.