Who could have thought that on December 10th, 2021, we would witness the beginning of one of the potential rivalries of the coming years? Giannis Antetokounmpo was at the absolute peak of his powers, leading the Milwaukee Bucks in pursuit of the Larry O’Brien Trophy as well as another MVP title, while Alperen Sengun was slowly beginning to make a name for himself off the Houston Rockets bench.
That night, Giannis showed why he was considered by many the best player in the world at the time, delivering 41 points, 17 rebounds, five assists, three steals and two blocks on a ridiculous 15-20 shooting. The Bucks beat the Rockets 123-114, and from the bench, Alperen contributed 15 points and five rebounds on 6-8 shooting. After the game, reporters asked the Greek Freak what he thought of the up-and-coming Turkish star.
Advertisement
“He’s a good player. Takes his time; nothing can speed him up. He might be slow in the post, but he’s effective. He’s playing well. He’s playing a lot of minutes off the bench, gives energy to his teammates. He rebounds the ball well. He’s being aggressive, sets good screens. I think the sky’s the limit for him,” Giannis told reporters back in 2021.
Antetokounmpo saw the future
Antetokounmpo’s prediction that the sky is the limit turned out perfectly because Sengun has since grown into an All-Star and a player many consider a legitimate successor to Nikola Jokic because of his style of play. Last season, he finished second in the West with the Rockets, and at EuroBasket, he delivered Turkey’s first-ever medal outside their borders.
Advertisement
They won silver in a narrow loss to Germany, where Sengun just missed out on the tournament MVP, but ultimately found himself alongside Antetokounmpo in the All-Tournament First Team.
Sengun also helped Turkey blow out Greece in the semifinals. After the game, he even took a shot at Antetokounmpo, saying that he isn’t a great passer, a comment that stirred up a storm of reactions. Alperen even went so far as to promise his Turkey NT teammate a luxury watch if he kept Giannis under 20 points, which he successfully did.
“I made a promise to Ercan [Osmani]. If you keep Giannis under 20 points, I’ll buy you a Rolex,” Sengun told Turkish media. “I will keep my promise and buy him the best Rolex. My brother did his best and fought. I’m really happy.”
Advertisement
Everything changed in a second between two All-Stars
Giannis’s response was simple: He didn’t want to comment or start a beef with Alperen, instead saying that people who doubt his passing skills should go on YouTube and watch his highlights. There was definitely something more to that, as seen at the EuroBasket awards ceremony when Antetokounmpo shook hands with everyone except Sengun at the All-Tournament Team presentation.
Advertisement
Even though Alpi himself said in that statement that the Greek Freak is one of the best in the world, the comment about not being the best passer clearly didn’t sit well with the two-time MVP. From giving considerable praise to a young rookie, to being on the path to building some rivalry — everything changed in a second because of Sengun’s statement.
This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Sep 16, 2025, where it first appeared in the Old School section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.