Alperen Şengün continues to shine for the Houston Rockets, leading the team to a convincing victory against the Portland Trail Blazers, improving their record to 8-3. The young Turkish center delivered an impressive performance, scoring 25 points, grabbing 10 rebounds, and dishing out nine assists. Following the game, he shared insights into his recent success and his summer experiences with the Turkish national team under coach Ergin Ataman.
Defenses across the NBA are increasingly focused on Şengün, aiming to limit his impact on the game, yet he remains determined and finds ways to contribute effectively. “It’s annoying,” he remarked with a hint of humor. “It’s fun at the same time. I found my assists, my teammates, I’m happy.”
Despite the defensive pressure, Şengün expressed his commitment to improving his offensive game, stating, “I’m going to get better and better offensively — finding my teammates, scoring. I want to keep finding shooters, get my points, offensive rebounds, attacking the rim, staying aggressive.”
In a familiar pattern reminiscent of his experience at EuroBasket, Şengün was substituted out just one assist shy of a triple-double during the blowout win. “That’s happening every time. When I’m getting closer to a triple-double, it’s always in a blowout game,” he noted, adding that he remains pleased with his performance overall.
One of the most remarkable aspects of Şengün’s game has been his shooting accuracy. He has significantly improved his three-point shooting, hitting 45.9% from beyond the arc so far this season, a notable rise from last season’s 23.3%. This enhancement he attributes to extensive work during the summer, particularly his time with the national team, where he earned a silver medal and greatly developed his skills.
“I worked out a lot this summer. Cam was over there, I had a Serbian coach, Djordje, and we worked with him from the beginning — my shooting style, everything,” Şengün explained. He emphasized the confidence he gained from his teammates and Coach Ataman, who encouraged him to take more shots. “I know I can shoot; the only thing for me was confidence, shooting consistently. And that’s what I’m doing now,” he concluded, radiating determination and optimism for his future performance.
Šengün’s journey exemplifies how hard work and support can foster remarkable growth in athletes, and as he continues to develop his game, he promises to be an exciting player to watch this season.