Latest news with #Sengun
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
‘Hungry for more': Alperen Sengun reflects on Houston's 2024-25 season
Though Houston ultimately lost its first-round playoff series to the Golden State Warriors, it was an encouraging NBA postseason debut for Alperen Sengun. Across those seven games, the 22-year-old big man led the Rockets on a per-game basis in average points (20.9), rebounds (11.9), assists (5.3), and steals (1.9). Advertisement On Monday, a little over a week removed from a harsh Game 7 defeat at home, Sengun took to Instagram to reflect on the 2024-25 season. Among his comments: Thank you, Houston, for another incredible season. I'm proud of this team — my brothers. We fought every step of the way, grew together, and earned everything we achieved. The journey wasn't easy, but we stayed locked in. We're not satisfied — we're hungry for more. This season taught us a lot, and next year, we're coming back stronger. Time to lock in, get to work, and elevate. Let's get it. Sengun, who earned Western Conference All-Star honors for the first time in 2025, concluded his message with the #NextChapter and #WorkInProgress hashtags. Sengun's Instagram post includes a compilation of photos and videos from the playoffs. The upcoming 2025-26 season will be the Turkish star's fifth NBA season and the first under a new contract, under which he'll get a significant pay increase for years to come. More: 'Fought with grit, heart, and determination': Steven Adams reflects on Rockets' season This article originally appeared on Rockets Wire: 'Hungry for more': Alperen Sengun reflects on Houston's 2024-25 season
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
For first time in career, Rockets center Alperen Sengun draws All-NBA votes
In his fourth NBA season, Houston Rockets center Alperen Sengun made his first career All-Star appearance during the recently completed 2024-25 campaign. For the first time, the 22-year-old rising star also drew votes for the league's 2024-25 Kia All-NBA teams. With 40 third-team votes and six second-team votes, Sengun finished with 58 total voting points. That made him the closest player to landing All-NBA honors beyond the 15 who earned the distinction. Advertisement For the 15th and final All-NBA slot, Sengun was edged out for the third team by former Rockets star James Harden. Now with the Los Angeles Clippers, the former Most Valuable Player (MVP) and future Hall of Famer had 56 third-team votes and four second-team votes, giving him 68 voting points. With his No. 16 voting finish among all players, Sengun was the only Houston player who received All-NBA votes this season. Each of the three All-NBA teams consists of five players, regardless of position. Sengun finished the 2024-25 regular season averaging 19.1 points (49.6% FG), 10.3 rebounds, and 4.9 assists per game, making it the first time in his young career that he's averaged a double double. He put up those numbers in a winning context, as well, with the Rockets (52-30) finishing with the fourth-best record in the NBA and the second-best in the Western Conference. Advertisement And while Houston ultimately lost its first-round playoff series to the Golden State Warriors, Sengun enjoyed an encouraging postseason debut, as well. Across seven hard-fought games, the Turkish big man led the Rockets on a per-game basis in average points (20.9), rebounds (11.9), assists (5.3), and steals (1.9), and his defense exceeded virtually all expectations. This fall, Sengun will enter the 2025-26 season in the first season of a five-year contract extension, which includes a significant pay increase that he earned through improved play in recent seasons. Observers around the league noticed, as well — including the panel of 100 regional, national, and international observers that vote on the NBA's annual awards (such as the All-NBA teams). Of those 100 voters, nearly half (46) voted Sengun to an All-NBA team. More: 'Hungry for more': Alperen Sengun reflects on Houston's 2024-25 season This article originally appeared on Rockets Wire: For first time in career, Houston's Alperen Sengun draws All-NBA votes
USA Today
5 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
For first time in career, Rockets center Alperen Sengun draws All-NBA votes
For first time in career, Rockets center Alperen Sengun draws All-NBA votes Rockets center Alperen Sengun was a first-time NBA All-Star in the 2024-25 season, and he also drew his first votes for the league's All-NBA teams. He was edged out for the final slot by James Harden. In his fourth NBA season, Houston Rockets center Alperen Sengun made his first career All-Star appearance during the recently completed 2024-25 campaign. For the first time, the 22-year-old rising star also drew votes for the league's 2024-25 Kia All-NBA teams. With 40 third-team votes and six second-team votes, Sengun finished with 58 total voting points. That made him the closest player to landing All-NBA honors beyond the 15 who earned the distinction. For the 15th and final All-NBA slot, Sengun was edged out for the third team by former Rockets star James Harden. Now with the Los Angeles Clippers, the former Most Valuable Player (MVP) and future Hall of Famer had 56 third-team votes and four second-team votes, giving him 68 voting points. With his No. 16 voting finish among all players, Sengun was the only Houston player who received All-NBA votes this season. Each of the three All-NBA teams consists of five players, regardless of position. Sengun finished the 2024-25 regular season averaging 19.1 points (49.6% FG), 10.3 rebounds, and 4.9 assists per game, making it the first time in his young career that he's averaged a double double. He put up those numbers in a winning context, as well, with the Rockets (52-30) finishing with the fourth-best record in the NBA and the second-best in the Western Conference. And while Houston ultimately lost its first-round playoff series to the Golden State Warriors, Sengun enjoyed an encouraging postseason debut, as well. Across seven hard-fought games, the Turkish big man led the Rockets on a per-game basis in average points (20.9), rebounds (11.9), assists (5.3), and steals (1.9), and his defense exceeded virtually all expectations. This fall, Sengun will enter the 2025-26 season in the first season of a five-year contract extension, which includes a significant pay increase that he earned through improved play in recent seasons. Observers around the league noticed, as well — including the panel of 100 regional, national, and international observers that vote on the NBA's annual awards (such as the All-NBA teams). Of those 100 voters, nearly half (46) voted Sengun to an All-NBA team. More: 'Hungry for more': Alperen Sengun reflects on Houston's 2024-25 season
USA Today
12-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
‘Hungry for more': Alperen Sengun reflects on Houston's 2024-25 season
'Hungry for more': Alperen Sengun reflects on Houston's 2024-25 season 'This season taught us a lot, and next year, we're coming back stronger,' Alperen Sengun says. 'Time to lock in, get to work, and elevate. We're not satisfied — we're hungry for more.' Though Houston ultimately lost its first-round playoff series to the Golden State Warriors, it was an encouraging NBA postseason debut for Alperen Sengun. Across those seven games, the 22-year-old big man led the Rockets on a per-game basis in average points (20.9), rebounds (11.9), assists (5.3), and steals (1.9). On Monday, a little over a week removed from a harsh Game 7 defeat at home, Sengun took to Instagram to reflect on the 2024-25 season. Among his comments: Thank you, Houston, for another incredible season. I'm proud of this team — my brothers. We fought every step of the way, grew together, and earned everything we achieved. The journey wasn't easy, but we stayed locked in. We're not satisfied — we're hungry for more. This season taught us a lot, and next year, we're coming back stronger. Time to lock in, get to work, and elevate. Let's get it. Sengun, who earned Western Conference All-Star honors for the first time in 2025, concluded his message with the #NextChapter and #WorkInProgress hashtags. Sengun's Instagram post includes a compilation of photos and videos from the playoffs. The upcoming 2025-26 season will be the Turkish star's fifth NBA season and the first under a new contract, under which he'll get a significant pay increase for years to come. More: 'Fought with grit, heart, and determination': Steven Adams reflects on Rockets' season
USA Today
05-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
After inefficient playoffs, Alperen Sengun targets offensive growth in 2025 offseason
After inefficient playoffs, Alperen Sengun targets offensive growth in 2025 offseason 'I think I improved my defense this season, but I have to work a lot more on my offense,' Rockets star Alperen Sengun said after a first-round playoff series to Golden State. 'I was better last year.' All-Star center Alperen Sengun led the Houston Rockets in most counting-statistics categories during the 2025 NBA playoffs. But he didn't do so in an efficient manner. In a seven-game series loss to the Golden State Warriors in the first round, Sengun finished with a true-shooting (TS) percentage of just 49.1%. After a strong Game 1, his TS was just 46.6% over the final six games, with Defensive Player of the Year candidate Draymond Green often serving as a strong deterrent near the rim. In postgame comments, the 23-year-old indicated that his offense would be a point of emphasis during the upcoming 2025 offseason. 'I think I improved my defense this season, but I have to work a lot more on my offense,' Sengun said. 'I didn't have a great year on offense. I was better last year, I would say.' 'A long summer is waiting for me,' Sengun added. 'I have a lot to do. I'm going to focus on my body, my touch, everything.' To Sengun's point, his overall shooting in the regular season dipped from 53.7% in 2023-24 to 49.6% in 2024-25, and his TS fell from 58.5% to 54.5%. That latter was the lowest of Sengun's four-year career and was among the worst for high-usage NBA centers this season. 'I have a lot to work on, and making all those easy shots,' Sengun said. 'I will work a lot this offseason on those shots and come back even stronger next year. And hopefully make those next year in the playoffs.' More: Rockets star Alperen Sengun on playoff anxiety: 'It helps, it shows how much I want it'
