Though his season ended a few weeks early because of a March 10 ankle injury, the 2023-24 campaign was a massive breakthrough for third-year Houston Rockets center Alperen Sengun.
On a per-game basis, the 21-year-old Turkish big man led Houston in scoring (21.1 points) and rebounds (9.3) while shooting 53.7%, a team-high among rotation players. With Sengun as an offensive focal point, the Rockets (41-41) improved by 19 wins from the previous season, which was the best year-on-year growth of any NBA team.
Sengun was a finalist for the league’s Most Improved Player award and drew heavy All-Star consideration earlier in the year.
With that in mind, there’s a lot to like as Houston’s starting center heads into the 2024 offseason and begins preparations for 2024-25.
In a recent social media post (translated from Turkish), here’s what Sengun said about his recently completed season:
This past season we have improved a lot, as a Houston Rockets family. I’m proud of that, but it’s not enough for us. Next season, we will fight until the last moment for even greater achievements.
We received a lot of love and support throughout the whole season. I want to thank the Houston Rockets family for that. I would also like to thank my country. Their interest has made me very happy and given me strength. I will try hard to make our fans and my country more proud. See you next season.
Sengun is widely expected to retain his starting role in 2024-25, though he will have a more proven backup, veteran Steven Adams.
Sengun is eligible for a contract extension this offseason, though there are a few financial factors that could incentivize the Rockets to wait on that until restricted free agency in the 2025 offseason.
