'Damn Good' Rockets' Alperen Sengun Gets Compared to MVP Jokic
After a dominant performance over Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs, Alperen Sengun is entering the national media's conversation regarding the next great big man.
Previously only inclusive of Chet Holmgren and Wembanyama, Sengun's career-high 45 points against the Spurs put Sengun on the radar as the most promising young center in the league.
Rockets center Alperen Sengun (28) controls the ball as San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama (1) defends during the fourth quarter at Toyota Center.
Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports
Between Giannis Antetokounmpo, Sengun, Wembanyama, and Nikola Jokic, the NBA is becoming increasingly foreign. Add in guards Luka Doncic and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and "Team World" is looking more stacked than ever.
ESPN's Mike Wilbon took his time on Pardon the Interruption to explain Sengun's prowess.
"This is part of the reason why the NBA doesn't want to put a US vs. Rest of The World game out there," Wilbon said. "There are kids like this, Tony, that Americans go 'eh, I don't know this guy, how good can he be?' Damn good! He might be the most improved player in the league, and he's one of those international players that can take down an American squad, though the American players don't want to hear that."
As the NBA looks to revise its All-Star Game format to make the competition more interesting, a Team World vs. Team USA matchup would draw viewers from around the globe, although Wilbon is right: it might cause some embarrassment for the home-grown talent.
As basketball becomes an increasingly global sport, the USA is struggling to keep up. The last American-born MVP was the Houston Rockets' James Harden in 2018, and with the cast of global stars in the league, the American MVP drought won't end anytime soon.
As for Sengun, he will be right up there with the league's best and most versatile players. "He could be on the same trajectory as Joker!" finished Wilbon. This is not the first time Sengun has been compared to the two-time MVP, and as he continues to improve, it won't be the last, either.
