Rockets' Alperen Sengun Ranks as League's Fourth-Best Center

During the 2023-24 NBA season, Houston Rockets big man Alperen Sengun shared one of his major goals: to make the NBA All-Star team. Sengun joined current Philadelphia 76ers forward Paul George on George's signature podcast and was met with assurance from the superstar forward.

Sengun had his best season as a pro -- averaging 21.1 points, 9.3 rebounds, 5.0 assists -- and earned a million NBA All-Star votes, but narrowly missed the cut. Last season, Sengun hit the milestone for the first time in his career, averaging 19.1 points, 10.3 rebounds, and 4.9 assists on the second-seeded Rockets. 

Sengun delivered in the Rockets' opening-round postseason series against the Golden State Warriors, averaging 20.9 points, 11.9 rebounds, and 5.3 assists, despite being guarded by Draymond Green, who still hails as one of the league's best defenders.

So where exactly does Sengun rank among the league’s best centers? According to Iztok Franko, he's the league's fourth-best big man, as Franko compiled the rankings on his signature DigginBasketball platform. 

"At 22, Sengun is the second-youngest player in the top six and continues to expand his game. He might be the second-best passer and playmaker on this list, and he’s shown improvement on the defensive end. However, as mentioned earlier, it’s hard to be the best player on a contending team if you’re not at Jokić’s level offensively and not the type of big who can anchor a defense.

Playoff track record: The young Rockets exceeded expectations by earning the number two seed, but couldn’t carry that momentum into the playoffs, losing to a veteran Warriors team in a hard-fought seven-game first-round series. That defeat likely set the stage for their trade for Kevin Durant. Still, Sengun was one of the young Rockets who didn’t disappoint. He adapted his game, matched the physicality of Draymond Green as the series went on, and earned Green’s praise and respect by the end."

Franko's top eight centers are below:

1. Nikola Jokic- Denver Nuggets 

2. Victor Wembanyama- San Antonio Spurs 

3. Ivaca Zubac- Los Angeles Clippers 

4. Alperen Sengun- Houston Rockets

5. Rudy Gobert- Minnesota Timberwolves 

6. Domantas Sabonis- Sacramento Kings 

7. Deandre Ayton- Los Angeles Lakers 

8. Dereck Lively -Dallas Mavericks 

It will be fascinating to see how Sengun takes his game to the next level in the upcoming season alongside Kevin Durant.