Alperen Sengun's Development Shows He Has Moved on From His 'Baby Jokic' Days

Sengun spent most of his rookie season on the bench as he became acclimated to the speed of the NBA and the grind of a long season. Sengun really started to take off in his third season in the NBA and his first season under Ime Udoka. That also coincided with the Rockets' shift in focus as a franchise.

The Rockets went from a rebuilding team focused on player development to a more veteran-led team focused on making the playoffs. That shift in focus helped Sengun take a massive step in his game. Sengun has proven from day one that he can be an offensive threat, but now he is showing that he can change the game on the defensive end of the court as well.

In his third season, Sengun finished with a career high of 21.1 points per game and 9.3 rebounds per game. Despite missing the last month of the season after suffering a knee injury against the Sacramento Kings, Sengun had the best season of his young career.

Alperen Sengun Becomes a Better All-Around Player

The 2024-25 season was even better for Sengun and the Rockets as the star center made his first-ever All-Star Game and made huge strides on the defensive end of the court. Before the 2024-25 season, there would be games where Sengun would not be on the court late in close games, as Udoka felt that Sengun was a liability on defense, especially in crunch time.

That changed this past season as Sengun worked tirelessly to improve his on-ball defense and become a better help defender as well. Sengun gained his coaching staff's trust, which in turn made it easier for them to have him on the court late in games.

Sengun's improved play on both sides of the court was a significant reason for the Rockets winning 52 games and finishing second in the Western Conference. The Rockets finished top six in points allowed per game and fifth in defensive rating, in part because of Sengun's growth on defense.

The Rockets would go on to lose a tough first-round matchup to the Warriors, but Sengun showed that the lights were not too bright for him as he was one of the Rockets' best players in the playoffs. Sengun's outstanding play has continued into the FIBA EuroBasket tournament as he has helped his Turkish team to a 5-0 record in group play.

Turkiye's fifth game on Wednesday was a matchup between Sengun and the player he has been compared to for years, Jokic. Turkiye's matchup with Serbia was seen as one of the biggest games of the tournament so far, and Sengun once again showed he was more than just a baby version of his idol.

In a back-and-forth game, Sengun went right at the former MVP time after time and again showed that he was more than just an elite offensive player. Sengun not only made two free throws late that put his team up for good, but he also made the defensive play of the game.

That one play showed how far Sengun has come in his career from being known as a highly skilled offensive player with questionable defense to an all-around player who can win games on both sides of the court. Sengun finished with a game-high 28 points to go along with 13 rebounds and eight assists as he outplayed his hero and helped Turkiye close out group play at 5-0.

Sengun's play has shown he is ready to move on from the "Baby Jokic" nickname, and his teammates seem to feel the same way.

Conclusion

There are a lot worse comparisons you can have as an NBA player than being compared to Jokic throughout your career. Jokic is a three-time MVP and will go down as one of the greatest players to ever play the game. However, Sengun has proven over the years that he is more than just a young Jokic; he is a leader, an All-Star, and his own player.