Alperen Şengün's star is rising fast, and everyone has displayed their respect. Şengün's latest praise came from Dallas Mavericks legend Dirk Nowitzki amid the Houston Rockets' 121-115 loss to the Dallas Mavericks Tuesday night.
Şengün has recently drawn comparison to Nowitzki after adopting the legend's one-legged fadeaway to his offensive repertoire.
"He is tough," Nowitzki said. "I've heard Baby [Nikola] Jokić. I am not sure about all of that. But he is definitely talented. His passing is incredible."
With 10:56 left in the first quarter, Şengün nailed his first basket by executing the one-legged fadeaway. The move impressed Nowitzki, who stated that Şengün's rendition was "beautiful."
Despite the loss, Şengün had one of his most impressive performances of the season. He scored 31 points on 10 of 19 shooting while adding nine rebounds and six assists. Şengün's play against the Mavericks marked his second 30-point performance of the season and the third of his career.
The first 16 games have led to a career year for Şengün. He has become the Rockets' top option on the offensive end, averaging 21.0 points on 56.3 percent shooting from the field, 8.9 rebounds and 5.9 assists.
Nowitzki is the latest legend to take note of Şengün. During the Rockets' one-point loss to the Los Angeles Lakers on Nov. 19, LeBron James displayed his respect for Şengün, who became the youngest player in franchise history to reach 2,000 career points, 1,000 rebounds and 500 assists.
"He is getting more comfortable in every game," James said. "Obviously, he can post very effectively. He has a great ball-handling ability, can see the floor, great passing. He is a really good young piece."
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