Rockets' Alperen Sengun proves he can outplay anyone in EuroBasket

Houston Rockets fans are watching a superstar blossom in EuroBasket - and he's on their roster. Alperen Sengun has played as well during the international tournament as any player in the league.

Before, it would have been difficult to make that claim. Sengun was outplaying most of his peers, but Giannis Antetokounmpo was an exception. He was decimating the tournament.

Well, Sengun and Antetokounmpo went head-to-head. The stakes were high - the winner of Friday night's contest would face Germany in the finals. Turkey won:

And Sengun outplayed the former NBA MVP.

Rockets' Alperen Sengun looks like a star in EuroBasket

Sengun didn't have his best performance. He finished with 15 points, 12 rebounds, 6 assists, and 5 turnovers. Having shot consistently from deep throughout the tournament, his 0/1 accuracy from long range was disappointing as well.

He still outplayed Antetokounmpo. He finished with just 12 points, 12 rebounds, 5 assists, and 5 turnovers. For diehard Greece fans, it was a significant letdown.

Both teams treated the rival stars with the utmost respect. They devised specific schemes to limit their impact. That's what you're supposed to do with stars, and give credit to both teams' defenses.

The point is that Greece guarded Sengun like a superstar. NBA teams will have a more difficult time doing that when he's alongside Kevin Durant instead of Ercan Osmani (side note: Should the Rockets be looking at this guy?).

For the time being, fans should focus on Sengun's international play. There's an awfully big game coming up. Turkey is set to do battle with Germany for all the glory:

Who's going to come out on top?

Rockets' Alperen Sengun has a chance to make history

Make no mistake: Germany is a powerhouse.

This team is stacked with NBA talent. Franz Wagner, Dennis Schroder, Daniel Theis, Isaac Bonga, and Tristan DaSilva all suit up for Germany. They won't be an easy out.

For Turkey to win, they'll need more from Sengun. Another 15-point performance won't cut it. Sengun's performance needs to be more in line with the production he's provided throughout the tournament.

Some Rockets fans won't be concerned. They're already satisfied that Sengun has demonstrated his stardom in the tournament. Others will be pulling for him to lead his home country to gold.

That's the right perspective. Even if your interest is exclusively in the Rockets, it would be a feather in Sengun's cap to win this tournament. He'd be coming into the 2025-26 NBA season with unlimited momentum:

He could be an unquestioned superstar by season's end.