During Wednesday’s exhibition victory, All-Star center Alperen Sengun had 13 assists and only one turnover. For a Houston team missing Fred VanVleet, that type of playmaking is sorely needed.
Through two 2025-26 exhibitions, Houston Rockets center Alperen Sengun is averaging 9.5 assists and only 1.0 turnover in 22.6 minutes per game.
The 23-year-old is still extremely effective in other areas, of course, as shown by his averages of 16.0 points (58.8% FG), 5.0 rebounds, and 2.0 steals over that time.
But it’s the superior playmaking and facilitating that could be most important for a Houston squad still reeling from the recent loss of veteran point guard Fred VanVleet (ACL tear in right knee).
“You’ve got your five man that can handle at the top of the key, and the spacing… just opens the floor up so much for us,” All-Star teammate Kevin Durant said after Wednesday’s victory over Utah.
“It makes it unpredictable because he can iso up there, he can go set the screen, a dribble handoff, or we can screen for him,” added Durant, who finished with 20 points in 23 minutes on elite efficiency. “So it throws the defense off when he has the ball up there. We trust he’s going to make the right play every time.”
“He just brings so much, and commands so much attention that it gives us easy buckets,” Amen Thompson (who also put up strong numbers) said of Sengun. “Thirteen assists (on Wednesday), I didn’t know he had that many. I thought he was really good.”
The Rockets are now 2-0 in preseason play, and Sengun has clearly been Houston’s most valuable overall player in this week’s games (keep in mind, Durant sat out the opener). Perhaps most notably, in contrast to some of his teammates, Sengun is consistently making the right plays without turning the ball over.
In the absence of VanVleet, that combination of playmaking and ball security could prove critical.
“He’s making quicker decisions,” head coach Ime Udoka said postgame. “He’s always been a guy that could pass the ball. Some times, young guys get a little thirsty and keep the ball, but he’s going to make the right play, more often than not. He’s in a good rhythm right now and in great shape, coming off of EuroBasket. He’s picking up where he left off last year, at an All-Star level.”