Alperen Sengun is a 2.11m Turkish power forward. at 21 years old he has become quite a star for the Houston Rockets. NBA media and legends have noticed his recent efforts against Clippers and Wemby's Spurs. Shaquille O'Neal just recently stated that Alperen Sengun reminds him of a young Pau Gasol with his playing style.

The Houston Rockets' center has scored a triple double against the Clippers(23 points, 19 rebounds, 14 assists and 2 steals) and went for a career high against Wembanyama's Spurs (45 points, 16 rebounds, 3 assists and 5 steals). According to StatMuse, the combination of 23 points, 19 rebounds, 14 assists, and 2 blocks has never been achieved by a center in NBA history. Not even Jokic has accomplished this feat.

Shaquille O'Neal on Alperen Sengun

"Alperen Sengun reminds me of a young Pau Gasol when he came and played his first years in the NBA. He shows he can do a lot of things and if they surround him with talent he will do very well," said the legendary Shaquille O'Neal.

This season, he has maintained impressive averages of 21.3 points, 9.3 rebounds, 4.8 assists, and 1.2 steals in 32.4 minutes for the Houston Rockets. He was chosen as the 16th pick in the 2021 draft by the Rockets after showcasing his skills in Turkey for Bandrma Krmz, Teksut Bandrma, and Besiktas.

The story behind 

He departed the Turkish Basketball Super League in 2021 as the youngest MVP in its history at the age of 18 years and 10 months. He later defied family expectations by pursuing a career in swimming before ultimately choosing basketball, influenced by his brother Mayo, and starting his journey at Giresun University.

Ahmet Gurgen played a key role in identifying Alperen Sengun and facilitating his move to Bandirma to join Banvit. Besiktas signed him for three seasons at 18, averaging 19.2 points, 9.4 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 1.3 steals, and 1.7 blocks per game in the BSL.

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