Rumors

Jorge Sierra: On paper, Turkey and Germany have a clear path to the semifinals of the Eurobasket.

Twitter

Perhaps that match may be the end of the “Baby Jokic” nickname that has accompanied Sengun over his first years in the NBA. “I don’t think he would want that nickname,” said Turkey guard Shane Larkin with a smile. “You can see the similarities with their games. Alperen has big aspirations. Alperen is a very confident kid. Alperen has a very high level of basketball skill and a very high level of talent. The sky is the limit for him. I don’t think he’s anywhere near his ceiling. I think he’s going to continue to evolve and get better and better.”

EuroHoops.net

“In his younger years, his first year, his second year, you could call him ‘Baby Jokic’ just because their styles are very similar,” Larkin added. “He’s proving during this tournament that he’s ready to take that next step. Last year, he was an NBA All-Star, and I think he’s going to continue to grow and continue to be a better and better player. That nickname was suiting for him maybe a couple of years ago. But he’s much bigger and much better than he was when they gave him that nickname.”

EuroHoops.net

Anthony Chiang: Heat's Nikola Jovic totals 10 points on 4-of-8 shooting from field and 2-of-3 shooting on threes and 1 rebound in Serbia's 95-90 EuroBasket loss to Turkey today. Serbia, considered by many to be the favorite to win the tournament, finishes the group stage with a 4-1 record.

x.com

On the final day of group play in Riga, the much-anticipated duel between Alperen Sengun and Nikola Jokic lived up to the hype, showcasing two of EuroBasket’s brightest stars. Both big men delivered a spectacular performance, but Sengun proved decisive down the stretch, leading Turkey to a 95-90 victory over the three-time NBA MVP and his Serbian team.

EuroHoops.net

Houston Rockets‘ rising star, Sengun, led Ergin Ataman’s team with 28 points, 13 rebounds, and eight assists for a PIR of 37, while on the other side, Jokic had 22 points, nine rebounds, and four assists for a PIR of 31. Shane Larkin also had a great game for the winning side, scoring 23 points with nine assists in over 39 minutes on the court. Cedi Osman added 16 points, while Ercan Osmani contributed 10. It’s worth noting that Turkey shot an impressive 18-for-31 from beyond the arc.

EuroHoops.net

How big an advantage is it for a coach to have a player like Alperen Sengun, who makes difficult things look routine? Ergin Ataman: Alperen right now has very important qualities and advantages. He’s reached an elite level. Over the last two seasons, he has played outstandingly in the NBA. He narrowly missed the All-Star Game one season and then made it the next, becoming the most important player for the Houston Rockets. That shows his capacity. But he’s still only 23–24, hungry, and loves the game. He doesn’t treat basketball as just a profession—he truly enjoys it. He also spent most of his career in Turkey and has always played for the national team. Many of these players grew up together, especially in Bandırma, and even if they went their separate ways later—Alperen to the NBA, others to Galatasaray, Fenerbahçe, Efes—they share that bond.

EuroHoops.net

Eurohoops: Talen Horton-Tucker and Fenerbahce have a deal; however, per Eurohoops sources, it will not be ratified yet, with the side of the player still waiting for an NBA offer.

x.com

After all, Osman believes that it’s just a matter of time for Sengun to register the triple-double, which will be just the 5th registered in Eurobasket history. “I think we’ll see it anyway”, Osman said to Eurohoops. “He played incredibly well. We actually discussed it with the last three or four minutes remaining. We even arranged something, but that’s when the substitution came (laughing). He didn’t make it in this game, but he’ll make it in the next; we have no doubt about that.”

EuroHoops.net

After Alperen Sengun neared a triple-double with Turkiye securing a second win in Group A of EuroBasket 2025, Ergin Ataman jokingly went into also securing the services of the 23-year-old center at Panathinaikos. Ataman, 59, referred to his recent evaluation of the EuroLeague compared to the EuroLeague, resurfacing his opinion about the NBA champions being labeled as world champions in North America. “I saw today that many social media, both in the United States and Europe, wrote about my statement about the difference between the EuroLeague and the NBA. I continue, give me Alperen Sengun from the Houston Rockets to Panathinaikos, and 100% we will beat the Houston Rockets,” he said.

EuroHoops.net

With Alperen Sengun taking over, Turkiye routed Czechia, 92-78, in Xiaomi Arena. The 23-year-old center of the Houston Rockets fell one assist shy of becoming the fifth member on the all-time list of players with a triple-double in EuroBasket. Behind 8/9 two-pointers, he ended up with a 23-point, 12-rebound double-double, alongside nine assists, two blocks, and one steal on Friday. “It’s not a big deal,” Sengun responded to a question about missing a triple-double during the postgame press conference, “I was trying to tell him [Ergin Ataman], but he didn’t understand me. It’s OK. We have so many games left, so I have a chance to do it. If they keep doubling me, I will find the right play.”

EuroHoops.net

Cedi Osman dropped a game-high 20 points behind 6/10 field goals, including four triples in Riga. His 11 points in the third period propelled Turkiye to a safe distance. After paving the way with 13 points in the first half, Kenan Sipahi ended up with 19 points, making all of his six attempts from the field, including five shots from beyond the arc. Lasting nearly 28 minutes, the 30-year-old guard also recorded four rebounds and three assists. Houston Rockets center Alperen Sengun added 16 points, eight rebounds, seven assists, one block, and one steal. The fourth double-digit scoring contribution belonged to Shane Larkin with 15 points.

EuroHoops.net

After being asked whether he would consider Alperen Sengun as the best center he's ever played with, Shane Larkin thought for almost half a minute. And for good reason, given that a guy named Dirk Nowitzki was Larkin's teammate in the 2013-14 season. "I've been playing a long time, man. That's a tough question," Larkin told BasketNews after giving a thought. "But I mean, I think he's the only NBA center that I played with who was an All-Star. So, if you count Dirk as a fourth, obviously, he can't really go against that." Nevertheless, Sengun took the edge at the end. "But yeah, I would say thus far he's probably the best center that I've played with," Larkin concluded.

BasketNews

The Anadolu Efes Istanbul star believes that even at this point, the 23-year-old Sengun has room for improvement. "I think there are still many things that he can add to his game to make him even better, one of the Top 10 players in the NBA just because of his raw skills and everything he can do with the ball," Larkin argued.

BasketNews