NBA Legend Isn't Sold on Rockets' Alperen Sengun Yet

Ralph Sampson is an NBA legend. He entered the NBA with an exuberance of hype, having thrice won National Player of the Year in college. The Houston Rockets lucked up and were able to land him, after getting the first overall pick in the 1983 NBA Draft, as a result of a 14-68 season, which is the worst season in franchise history (and the last season of Calvin Murphy's Hall of Fame career).

Sampson instantly won Rookie of the Year and made the All-Star team in each of his first four seasons with the Rockets. By his third season, the combination of Sampson and Hakeem Olajuwon led the Rockets to the NBA Finals.

Sampson is a member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and posted career averages of 15.4 points, 8.8 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.6 blocks. With the Rockets, he averaged 19.7 points, 10.5 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 2.5 stocks.

He also led Houston to the playoffs in three of his first four seasons. He lived up to the pre-draft hype, it's safe to say.

The Hall of Fame center was asked about current Rockets center Alperen Sengun and...well, let's just say he's not quite sold.

Yet.

As he shared with Brandon "Scoop B" Robinson, who likened the 23-year-old All-Star center to Pau Gasol.

"My jury is still out on that. He definitely doesn’t remind me of Pau Gasol yet. Gasol is a Hall of Fame player, and Sengun still has things to prove."

Sampson continued.

"It’s like what Oklahoma City did this year—they had things to prove, and they went out and won an NBA championship. We’ll have to wait and see what happens with him.”

Ralph Sampson isn't ready to buy the Alperen Şengün & Pau Gasol comparisons just yet. 🛑🏀

"Gasol is a Hall of Fame player, and Şengün still has things to prove."

Sampson points to OKC’s title run as the blueprint for proving the doubters wrong.

🔗Watch:… https://t.co/sJD7ybJmc7 pic.twitter.com/xxZE1875Ky
— 👑 Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson (@ScoopB) January 30, 2026

This season, Sengun is averaging 21 points, 9.2 rebounds, 6.4 assists, 50 percent from the field and 52.8 on two-pointers. On Sunday, he missed the cut for the All-Star team.

Sengun is currently struggling a bit. At least of late.

He's averaging 13.7 points on 29.6 percent from the field (16-of-54) in Houston's last three games. It’s believed to be injury-related, as Sengun returned rather quickly from an ankle injury suffered earlier in the month of January.

All told, Sengun only sat out three games, as a result of that injury.

As for Sampson, he's technically right about Sengun having things to prove.

Sengun would also agree with that.