Where Does Alperen Sengun Rank on the All-Time Rockets List?

The Houston Rockets are officially out of the rebuild entering the 2025-26 season. After years of losing with young talent, the Rockets have built a sufficient young core. Kevin Durant will be at the helm, but Alperen Sengun is one of the best sidekicks in the league, having made his first All-Star Game last season.

The Turkish center most recently averaged 19.1 points, 10.3 rebounds and 4.9 assists per game for Houston. Nicknamed 'Baby Jokic,' he brings a plethora of skills to the table, able to score, rebound and distribute at high levels. He is one of the faces of positionless basketball, posing as a point-center.

Back in 2018, Kenny DeJohn of Bleacher Report ranked the top 25 players in Houston Rockets history. Over seven years later, that list may be extremely different after the franchise finished out the James Harden era, went into a rebuild and rose back to prominence.

Sengun has already established himself as one of the best centers in the league, which begs the question (without looking too far ahead): where does he rank on the franchise's all-time list? Entering year five, he has plenty left to give, but he's already off to a great start.

For reference, Bleacher Report's list ranked Shane Battier at No. 25. He was a great contributor to some playoff teams, but as a star, Sengun is already a better player all-time in terms of production with Houston.

Sengun is already a top-25 Rocket of all time. At this point, early in his career, he doesn't quite crack the top 15, but he has a case for the top 20. At the top, Harden, Olajuwon and Moses Malone highlight the true franchise-changers.

But the 23-year-old has already led the new wave of Rockets talent. The team was struggling after The Beard departed via trade, making the start of the decade a major struggle for the franchise.

As Sengun improved, so did Houston. The team eventually hit .500, going 41-41 in the 2023-24 season. That was the same year the 6-foot-11 center took his game to new heights, averaging 21.1 points, 9.3 rebounds and 5.0 assists per game.

Sengun has a long way to go, but he's already on track to be one of the franchise's best players alongside Durant. At this point, he isn't near the same company as Harden and Olajuwon, but he's already elite with an All-Star appearance and impressive stats.