Don't Look Now, But Alperen Sengun and Giannis Antetokounmpo Are Feuding

EuroBasket 2025 is now in the history books, and there was no shortage of incredible basketball moments from this tournament. Luka Doncic was dominant, France and Spain were booted out early, and the Germans staked their claim as the best hoops team on the continent.

And then, there was that war of words.

The verbal (and psychological) battle between Alperen Sengun and Giannis Antetokounmpo can be described as fleeting, underrated even. But a closer look at the brief but heated exchange between these two European stars reveals layers of conflict that will definitely play out in the upcoming NBA season.

Sengun caught the basketball world’s attention last Friday when he casually commented on Antetokounmpo’s passing skills in a post-game interview. For context: The Houston Rockets center was talking about Turkey’s defensive schemes, which included sending help defenders to get the ball out of the Greek Freak’s hands.

“He’s an amazing player, but he’s not a great passer,” Sengun told reporters.

In one fell swoop, the 23-year-old international upstart gave props to a highly decorated member of the NBA’s 75th Anniversary Team while also calling attention to a perceived weak point in terms of skill set. While it’s true that Antetokounmpo has never led the NBA in assists, he has averaged a serviceable 5.0 dimes per game in his NBA career.

Sengun, it should be noted, actually outplayed Antetokounmpo in this category at the 2025 EuroBasket. The Turkish big man was tied for third in assists with 6.6 apg, while Antetokounmpo put up just 4.1 apg during this tournament.

As competitive as the Greek superstar is, it was only a matter of time before he came back with a response. This past weekend, when the topic of Sengun’s comment came up at a media availability, Antetokounmpo didn’t bother putting on a poker face.

“I’m a guy who doesn’t like to talk a lot. You know, I let my game talk,” he said. “I’m going into my 13th season in the NBA. I’ve won everything. Everything.”

By delivering this response, Antetokounmpo made it clear that his situation with Sengun was a showdown between the young lion and the leader of the pride. The Rockets center was 15 years old when Milwaukee’s franchise player earned his first All-NBA selection and won Most Improved Player. Antetokounmpo, who turns 31 in December, is now looking to add more hardware to his trophy case, which includes two NBA MVP distinctions and one Finals MVP award.

Though the two stars don’t see eye to eye at the moment, both of them secured a podium finish for their respective teams. Sengun’s squad came up short against Germany in the EuroBasket final, while Antetokounmpo and the rest of the Greeks had to settle for a bronze medal.

Sooner or later, Sengun and Antetokounmpo will collide once again in the NBA. Time will tell if either one of these athletes decides to use the other person’s words as fuel for an epic performance.