Rockets' Alperen Sengun Garners MVP Consideration in ESPN's Straw Poll

This is a bit of a surprise.

Dec 21, 2025; Sacramento, California, USA; Houston Rockets center Alperen Sengun (28) reacts after a foul during the fourth quarter against the Sacramento Kings at Golden 1 Center. Mandatory Credit: Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images | Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images

The race for the NBA's 2025-26 MVP award will look very similar to how it's looked in past years. At least recent years.

Oklahoma City Thunder superstar guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Denver Nuggets all-world big man Nikola Jokic will likely be the top two vote-getters.

And understandably.

The Thunder are 25-3, which correlates to a 73 win pace. Gilgeous-Alexander is averaging 32.5 points (just a hair below last year’s 32.7 point clip), 6.4 assists (identical to last season's mark), 4.7 rebounds, 55.4 percent from the field (career-best), 43.2 percent from 3-point marks (on 5.1 attempts), 61 percent effective shooting percentage (career best) and 67.9 percent true shooting.

Jokic, who has already snagged three MVP awards, is averaging 29.4 points, 12.1 rebounds (career-best), 10.7 assists (career-best), 60.5 percent from the field, 42.1 percent from three (career-best), 84.1 percent from the foul line and 70.9 percent true shooting (career-best).

Denver is 20-7 and third in the Western Conference, behind just the Thunder and San Antonio Spurs.

Will the Houston Rockets have any MVP representation? Perhaps the better question is should they?

At times, it's looked like both Kevin Durant and Alperen Sengun could (and should) garner consideration.

In fact, in ESPN’s recent MVP straw poll, Sengun received a point, as he earned a fifth-place vote (which matched with Golden State Warriors superstar Stephen Curry and Atlanta Hawks wing Jalen Johnson.

Sengun tied for 12th on the straw poll, concocted annually by ESPN’s Tim Bontempts.

Sengun is having a career year and his impact is the greatest it’s ever been. He leads the Rockets in rebounds (9.2 on a nightly basis), assists (6.9 on a nightly basis) and ranks second in scoring (23.2 points per contest, which is a career-best).

He also ranks first in win shares and PER (which aren’t necessarily widely-accepted metrics).

Sengun and the Rockets have had an issue closing games, as a collective. For example, in Sunday’s loss against the Sacramento Kings, Houston held a 14-point lead and lost in overtime. Sengun went scoreless in the extra quarter.

Part of the issue is Houston’s lack of offensive creativity by Rockets coach Ime Udoka. Much of Houston’s offensive dominance is centered around beating opponents on the glass.

Which isn’t exactly useful in the waning moments of the game when you need a bucket.