Although EuroBasket ended more than a week ago, the excitement surrounding the tournament still hasn’t died down. Even though Germany won the tournament—uniting European and FIBA WC gold—the team that continues to draw the most reactions is runner-up Turkey.
A national team that few expected to see on the podium showed everyone that they are an emerging force in FIBA basketball. None of it would have been possible without Alperen Sengun.
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According to his NT teammate Shane Larkin, the 23-year-old Houston Rockets center is the perfect combination of Nikola Jokic and Giannis Antetokounmpo.
“You know, Giannis isn’t flavorful; he’s just so dominant. Like, he just runs through people, and he’s just so dominant in the way he plays, but you wouldn’t say Giannis has a flashy game. You know, Jokic is very fundamental, super high IQ, makes the incredible passes, but you wouldn’t say it’s like super flashy, flashy. So I think the combination of like the flair, the excitement, the talent, the IQ, all of it, and a 23-year-old kid that is only going to continue to grow and become better,” Larkin told Hoops Hype.
It’s hard to see the similarities between Antetokounmpo and Sengun
Many will agree that Jokic’s and Sengun’s styles are almost identical. In fact, at the start of his career, Sengun even carried the nickname “Baby Jokic”, but it’s hard to see the similarities between Antetokounmpo and Sengun.
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Giannis always relies on his physical dominance, while Alperen bases his game on his high IQ, reading what the defense gives him. Both use their bodies well and are dominant in the post, but Sengun prefers back-to-the-basket play, while the Milwaukee Bucks forward is more of a face-up player.
Larkin isn’t the only teammate to praise Sengun. During the tournament, Furkan Korkmaz said he believes Sengun is already better than Joel Embiid.
“I think Joel Embiid was the best player, best center I was playing with, but I think we can tell that it’s Alperen [Sengun] now,” Korkmaz stated. “It’s great to be around him. He’s enjoying basketball, and he helps us a lot on the court, both defensively and offensively.”
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“I think he’s a special kid, and every day he’s trying to give his maximum. And this year, we are also seeing that he’s playing aggressive defense too, not only offense, and that gives us a lot of confidence on the court,” the versatile forward added.
Sengun’s game and the team’s success are expected to go even further
While it’s normal that Korkmaz and Larkin will back up their teammate, and perhaps not be entirely objective, it’s hard to ignore the feeling that Sengun truly is emerging as a player who will be in MVP conversations in the coming years.
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Last season, Houston finished second in the West behind the Oklahoma City Thunder with Sengun as the team’s No. 1 option. With the addition of Kevin Durant, Sengun’s game and the team’s success are expected to go even further. If he follows in Jokic’s and Antetokounmpo’s footsteps and really goes all the way to win the Larry O’Brien Trophy, Larkin’s words about him being the perfect mix of the two could truly carry weight.
This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Sep 21, 2025, where it first appeared in the Latest News section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.