Besiktas Icrypex Professional Athletes

Alperen Sengun didn't need a full night's work to make his mark.

The Beşiktaş Icrypex product — now firmly established as the Houston Rockets' centerpiece — recorded a triple-double in just 22 minutes of action as Houston dismantled the Dallas Mavericks 135-117 on Friday. It was the kind of performance that makes efficiency charts blush: in little more than a half's worth of playing time, Sengun hit every column of the stat sheet and then watched the rest from the bench.

The Rockets looked sharp overall, with Fred VanVleet's return to the lineup adding another layer to a Houston offense that had its way with Dallas from tip-off. The 18-point margin wasn't an accident — this was a dominant wire-to-wire performance that had the Mavericks searching for answers all night.

That said, the Rockets weren't flawless. Houston coughed up 21 turnovers, a number that will draw head coach attention regardless of the final score, and defensive effort was described as spotty at best. Against a stronger opponent, that combination could prove costly. For now, though, a blowout win papers over a lot of sins.

Still, Sengun remains the story. The 22-year-old center has steadily evolved from intriguing prospect to bona fide NBA force since his days developing at Beşiktaş Icrypex in Istanbul, and moments like Friday's underscore just how far he's come. A triple-double in 22 minutes isn't a fluke — it's a statement about how naturally the game flows through him when he's on.

The broader Rockets picture is coming into focus: a young, talented core with VanVleet as a steadying veteran presence and Sengun as the unquestioned engine. If Houston can clean up the turnover issues, this team has the look of a Western Conference problem.

For Beşiktaş Icrypex alumni trackers, there's an added subplot worth noting: Sengun recently appeared in a new Rockets photo alongside franchise legend Yao Ming, a moment that put the center's 6'11" frame in rare visual context — even Sengun looked small next to the towering Hall of Famer. It's the kind of image that signals organizational reverence for Sengun's trajectory, placing him in the company of Rockets royalty before his 23rd birthday.

One triple-double in 22 minutes won't define a season. But it's a reminder that Sengun's ceiling remains very much uncharted.

Alperen Sengun Is the Most Interesting Man in Houston

Besiktas Icrypex's most famous export didn't need much of a warm-up. Alperen Sengun opened the 2026-27 NBA preseason with a triple-double — 16 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists — as the Houston Rockets routed the Dallas Mavericks 135-117 in the NBA China Game. For a center to dish out double-digit assists in a preseason showcase is the kind of statement that makes front offices exhale and analysts start rearranging their award ballots.

The timing is no accident. Sengun enters 2026-27 fresh off an All-Star selection, with playoff experience now on his résumé and a loaded Rockets roster around him. The question is no longer whether he belongs — it's how high he can climb.

The All-NBA Conversation

Sports Illustrated has already framed the debate bluntly: who can actually stop Sengun from earning All-NBA honors? The answer isn't simple. Nikola Jokic's throne remains formidable, and rising stars like Victor Wembanyama and Nikola Jovic loom as legitimate competition at the center position. But Sengun's playmaking ceiling — rare for a big man — gives him a profile that's genuinely difficult to pigeonhole or dismiss. A center who can facilitate at an elite level doesn't just contribute; he warps how defenses have to operate.

Rockets GM Rafael Stone has made no effort to temper expectations. Stone publicly credited the team's youth and playoff seasoning as reasons for optimism heading into the new year, with Sengun specifically named as a cornerstone of what Houston is building. Fred VanVleet's return from a season-long injury adds another healthy piece to a supporting cast that already features Kevin Durant.

The Durant Question

That last name introduces the most intriguing subplot of Sengun's season. Sports Illustrated posed the question directly: will Durant remain the Rockets' best player in 2026-27, or will Sengun — or Amen Thompson — eventually take over the mantle? It's the kind of question that would have felt premature two years ago. Now it's a legitimate editorial debate.

For Sengun, that's the real measure of how far he's come. Being mentioned in the same breath as a future Hall of Famer as a potential franchise centerpiece isn't hype — it's the natural result of what he put on film last season.

What the Season Means

Yahoo Sports framed it plainly in their player preview: this upcoming season could define Sengun's Rockets future. That's not a knock — it's a recognition that he's reached the threshold where production must crystallize into a clear identity. Is he a second star who elevates a contender, or is he the star who carries one?

The preseason triple-double was one data point. The 82 games ahead will write the full answer. For Besiktas Icrypex alumni and Rockets fans alike, there's plenty of reason to watch closely.

Besiktas Icrypex in the NBA | Week of Sept. 27–Oct. 3, 2026

Alperen Sengun is entering the new NBA season as one of Houston's most important pieces — and the spotlight has never been brighter on the Rockets center who cut his teeth at Besiktas Icrypex before making the leap stateside.

The Trio Conversation

Sports Illustrated put Houston's top three — Kevin Durant, Sengun, and Amen Thompson — under the microscope this week, sizing up where they stack up against the NBA's other elite groupings. The verdict: it's a rare combination of scoring, playmaking, defense, and versatility that gives the Rockets a legitimate claim among the league's best trios. For Sengun, being mentioned in the same breath as Durant signals just how far he's come from his days in Istanbul's Süper Lig. His role as the connective tissue of Houston's offense — posting, passing, and finishing — makes the trio's upside as dependent on his development as anyone else's.

Chip Engelland's Influence

The more granular story involves what Sengun is actually working on heading into training camp. According to Sports Illustrated, Sengun has been working with Rockets assistant coach Chip Engelland, one of the most respected shooting coaches in the league with a résumé that includes reshaping the jumpers of multiple All-Stars. The report indicates Engelland has advised Sengun to make a change — a detail that suggests Houston's staff sees an unlocked level in his game that could make an already-dangerous player even harder to guard. The specifics of the adjustment weren't disclosed, but the fact that Sengun is actively seeking and receiving that kind of elite-level coaching input during the offseason speaks to his commitment to growth.

The Big Picture

Sengun's arc from Besiktas Icrypex to franchise cornerstone is one of the more remarkable development stories in recent NBA memory. He arrived in Houston as a raw but uniquely skilled big man, and each offseason has brought a new layer to his game. If Engelland's fingerprints show up on a more reliable mid-range or perimeter threat in 2026-27, the Rockets' already-formidable trio becomes a genuine title-contender conversation piece.

For Besiktas alumni tracking his career, the message from Houston this week is unambiguous: Sengun isn't just along for the ride on a talented roster. He's a pillar of it.

Alperen Şengün Arrives at Rockets Camp With Big Ambitions — and Bigger Expectations

Beşiktaş Icrypex's most prominent NBA export isn't setting modest goals. At Houston Rockets media day, two-time All-Star Alperen Şengün declared he wants to become the best player in the NBA — a statement that drew its share of eye-rolls around the league, but also a surprising amount of genuine respect.

The 22-year-old center has earned the right to dream out loud. Since arriving in the NBA, Şengün has followed a steady upward arc: role player, then star, then two-time All-Star. Now heading into his sixth season with Houston, the Turkish big man is making clear that trajectory isn't slowing down.

Ranked Among the League's Elite

The external validation is there to back up the swagger. Şengün was recently ranked among the NBA's top centers for the 2026-27 season — slotted just behind Nikola Jokić and Victor Wembanyama. For a player who came out of Istanbul's Beşiktaş Icrypex program, landing in that tier represents a remarkable rise through the sport's upper echelon.

Unfinished Business From the Playoffs

The ambition is also fueled by frustration. The Rockets suffered back-to-back first-round playoff exits, including a stinging early departure last season against a Lakers team missing Luka Dončić. Şengün didn't shy away from that wound at media day, boldly insisting Houston was the better team in that series — while also confessing to what he believes actually doomed the Rockets when it mattered most.

That combination of external confidence and internal accountability is precisely what separates stars from superstars, and it's the note Şengün is striking as camp opens.

A Roster Built to Compete

Şengün won't be carrying this alone. The Rockets enter 2026-27 with genuine championship expectations, surrounding him with a core that includes Kevin Durant, Amen Thompson, Jabari Smith Jr., and Tari Eason — plus offseason additions Marcus Smart and Bogdan Bogdanović. The depth is enviable; the competition for minutes has already created roster tension, with several players reportedly on the trade block as the numbers game gets real.

For Şengün, the noise around the roster is secondary. The mission is clear: help Houston break through in the playoffs and prove that his "best player in the league" declaration was less bulletin-board fodder and more a genuine statement of intent.

Beşiktaş Icrypex sent one of their own to the NBA. He's not content being good. He wants to be the best.