Alperen Şengün didn’t just play basketball this season – he rewrote his own legacy.
In a spectacular fourth year in the NBA, the 22-year-old Houston Rockets center dazzled fans and analysts alike, averaging a double-double, earning his first All-Star selection, guiding his team to the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference, and securing a record-breaking contract – all while etching his name among the league’s elite.
First payoffs
Şengün’s career hits new heights as the Rockets return to the postseason, thanks in large part to his consistent brilliance.
With a 52-30 record, Houston clinched second place in the West.
The Rockets now await the winner of the Golden State Warriors, Memphis Grizzlies play-in clash.
It will be Şengün’s first playoff appearance – and it’s long overdue.
All-star recognition
His dominance didn’t go unnoticed.
Şengün became only the second Turkish player in NBA history (after Mehmet Okur) to play in an All-Star Game.
Suiting up for Team Chuck, he chipped in 4 points and 1 rebound in his debut.
Dominating stat lines
Şengün closed out the regular season with averages of 19.1 points, 10.3 rebounds, 4.9 assists, 1.1 steals, and 0.8 blocks.
It marked the first time he finished a season averaging a double-double. His highest-scoring performance came against the Timberwolves, where he dropped a career-high 38 points.
In total, he recorded 45 double-doubles and 4 triple-doubles this season, pushing his career triple-double tally to eight.
Among his standout triple-double performances:
16 points, 10 rebounds, 10 assists vs. Clippers
20 points, 10 rebounds, 11 assists vs. Bulls
22 points, 10 rebounds, 11 assists vs. Timberwolves
17 points, 14 rebounds, 10 assists vs. Nuggets
He also cracked the top 10 in the league for both total rebounds and offensive boards.
Player of the week and history-making contract
In Week 6 of the season, Şengün was named Western Conference Player of the Week – his second career selection.
But perhaps the biggest slam dunk came off the court: at season’s start, he inked a five-year, $185 million deal with the Rockets – the highest-earning contract in Turkish sports history.