Joel Embiid has established himself as one of the NBA’s elite centers over recent years.
Despite injury problems the past two seasons, he captured MVP honors in 2022-23 and demonstrates complete center skills when healthy.
Joel Embiid’s versatility includes scoring, rebounding, defending, and developing three-point range.
Most Philadelphia 76ers teammates during his peak would consider him the best center to play alongside.
However, Furkan Korkmaz, who played for Philadelphia from 2017 to 2024, recently made a surprising declaration.
Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty ImagesFurkan Korkmaz considers Alperen Sengun the best center he’s played with, surpassing Joel Embiid
The Turkish guard revealed he now considers compatriot Alperen Sengun the best center he’s played with, surpassing even MVP Embiid in his personal rankings.
“Until now, I think Joel Embiid was the best player, best center that I was playing, but I think we can tell that, it’s Alperen now,” Korkmaz explained.
“So it’s great to be around him. He’s enjoying playing basketball. He helps us a lot, on the court, defensively and offensively.”
Korkmaz specifically highlighted Sengun’s improved defensive aggression alongside his established offensive skills.
“I think he’s a special kid, and every day he tracks his back maximum. This year, we are also seeing that he’s playing aggressive defense too, not only the offense.”
“And that gives us a lot of confidence on the front court that we pressure the ball well, and he’s helping us in different ways,” he added.
Furkan Korkmaz says Alperen Şengün is the best center he’s ever played with 👀
“Until now I thought Joel Embiid was the best big man I played with,but it’s Alperen Şengün now. Defensively and offensively I think he’s a special kid”
(h/t @BradeauxNBA)
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) September 9, 2025
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Alperen Sengun’s performance at EuroBasket demonstrates the capabilities of modern big men
Sengun has proven himself among the league’s best centers over the past two seasons with the Houston Rockets.
Despite slightly decreased statistics last season, he earned his first All-Star selection while averaging 19.1 points and 10.3 rebounds per game.
The Turkish center embodies the modern big man archetype, earning the ‘Baby Jokic’ nickname for his versatile skill set.
His EuroBasket 2025 performance reinforced his elite status with 19 points, 12 rebounds, and 10 assists in Turkey’s quarterfinal victory over Poland.
Korkmaz expressed optimism about Sengun’s continued development and future potential in the league.
“I hope that he still has a long way to go. He’s gonna grow a lot, and then we’re gonna see much better basketball from him, from this year to next year, next year to another year,” Korkmaz concluded.