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Kendrick Perkins called Rockets’ Alperen Sengun ‘A top 5 big in the NBA’
Zach Wolpin is an NBA and NFL expert who's been betting on the league for over three years now. Wolpin has been a fan of the NBA and has been watching for a decade and a half. He covers the latest news and stories surrounding the league daily. His passion in life is watching sports and being able to share that through his sports writing. He has written about the NBA and other sports leagues through various media outlets over the years like Sir Charles In Charge, G-Men HQ, and TAP into South Plainfield. Before he became an NBA News Writer, Wolpin attended Montclair State University where he graduated in 2021. He studied Sports Media and Writing while in school.
All posts by Zach WolpinUpdated2 hours ago on September 12, 2025
Following an early playoff exit in 2025, the Rockets slightly re-built their roster. Houston traded Jalen Green and Dillon Brooks to the Suns in exchange for Kevin Durant.
While the Durant trade made headlines, other players on the roster have been overlooked. On Thursday’s edition of the NBA Today on ESPN, Kendrick Perkins mentioned Houston’s Alperen Sengun. He had high praise for the 23-year-old center. The former player-turned-analyst called Sengun “A top 5 big in the NBA.”
Kendrick Perkins believes Alperen Sengun is a top-five player at his posistion
Perkins says Şengün’s ability to defend at a high level makes him a top-5 big
“He is a top 5 big in the NBA…Not just because of the points, not just because of the rebounds & the assists, but he actually plays defense at a high level.”
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) September 11, 2025
With the 16th pick in the 2021 NBA draft, the Rockets selected big man Alperen Sengun out of Turkey. Over four seasons, Sengun has played in 286 games and made 224 starts. He started a career-high 76 games for Houston in 2024-25 and was named a first-time all-star. Sengun averaged 19.1 points, 10.3 rebounds, 4.9 assists, and 1.1 steals per game. Recently, ESPN’s Kendrick Perkins mentioned Sengun as “A top 5 big in the NBA.”
Early in his career, Sengun was given the nickname “Baby Jokic.” That’s because he’s a big man who can stuff the stat sheet like Denver Nikola Jokic. Alepren Sengun drew comparisons early in his career and for good reason. Perkins specifically mentioned how Sengun is overlooked as a defender. Additionally, he said Alperen Sengun can switch one through five on defense.
The do-it-all star propelled Türkiye to the @EuroBasket Semifinals 🇹🇷
Alperen Sengun leads the squad into a clash with Greece for a spot in the Final, tomorrow at 2pm/et on @courtside1891!
➡️ https://t.co/fPC0xWqtRn pic.twitter.com/VcMIuI5SH8
— NBA (@NBA) September 11, 2025
That makes him an extremely versatile defender for the Rockets. If he continues to develop his game, Sengun could be a league MVP someday like Nikola Jokic. Not only was Alperen Sengun a factor in the regular season, but he was one of Houston’s most consistent players in the playoffs. Sengun started all seven games for the Rockets in the 2025 postseason.
He averaged 20.9 points, 11.9 rebounds, 5.3 assists, and 1.9 steals per game. Sengun’s points, rebounds, and assists per game led the team in the playoffs. Moving forward, Aleperen Sengun will continue to be a key piece of the franchise for Houston. Even when Kevin Durant calls it a career, Sengun will still be doing his thing with the Rockets. The young center has so much potential as one of the top big men in the NBA, according to ESPN’s Kendrick Perkins. Houston opens the 2025-26 season on October 21, at 7:30 p.m. vs. the OKC Thunder.
