Young Rockets star joins elite company in recent player rankings

Every rebuilding team needs a young star. The Houston Rockets don't have to worry about that.

The team has an excess of young talent. That said, only one player has consistently given them a star's level if production over a year. If you haven't guessed, it's the guy from Turkey with an affable smile and a smooth touch around the rim.

Sure, we've questioned Alperen Sengun's ability to become a franchise player. That's an unjustly high bar. It is abundantly clear that whether Sengun can reach that level or not, he's on his way to stardom.

CBS Sports agreed. They just published a list of the NBA's Top 100 players. Sengun ranked favorably by any measure.

Young Rockets big man among the stars

Sengun came in 47th.

Let's look at the company he's keeping. At 47th, Sengun is just ahead of draftmates Evan Mobley (48th) and Cade Cunningham (49th). He ranks just below OG Anunoby (46th), Desmond Bane (45th), and none other than James Harden (44th).

That's rarified air. Some fans will suggest that Sengun should be ahead of Anunoby. You could make that case - Sengun is a primary playmaker, and Anunoby relies on others to create offense. Still, Anunoby is arguably the best 3-and-D wing in the NBA. We could go either way.

Otherwise, there's no way to argue that Sengun is underrated here. On the other hand, we wouldn't call him overrated by any measure. For Sengun to crack the league's top 50 at his age is an impressive feat.

Can he build on it in 2024-25?

Rockets star needs to aim higher

Of course!

There's room for improvement in Sengun's game. Some will argue that those improvements need to begin on the defensive end. Others will suggest that if he develops a reliable three-ball, it won't matter what he brings on defense - he'll be one of the best offensive players in the NBA.

We'd take improvement in either area. Still, it's encouraging that Sengun has two glaring holes in his game, and he's still rightfully the 47th-best player in the league. It speaks to his advanced ability to score on the interior and his remarkable passing vision.

Will the Rockets extend him? Will they let him hit Restricted Free Agency? Is this organization going to build around Sengun, or do they have reservations?

We can't answer any of those questions. We can only say that Sengun is clearly on the path to stardom.

A rebuilding team can't ask for any more than that.