"He Is A Top 5 Big": Kendrick Perkins Offers High Praise For Alperen Sengun
Sep 16, 2025
Kendrick Perkins has teamed with and fought against some of the best big men in NBA history. Now, the ESPN analyst is convinced that he has seen the next great center who will leave his mark on the league.
On an episode of “NBA Today” this week, Perkins heaped praise upon Houston Rockets youngster Alperen Şengün, who has been performing at a high level for the Turkish national team at the 2025 EuroBasket tournament.
“He is a top-five big man in the NBA,” Perkins boldly declared. “Not just because of the points, not just because of the rebounds and the assists, but he actually plays defense at a high level.”
The numbers from the past NBA season back up Perkins’ assessment of the 22-year-old center. Last season, Şengün led the Rockets in defensive win shares, a metric that points to the impact of a player’s defensive performance on their team’s victories. As far as traditional statistics go, Şengün led Houston in rebounding (10.3 rpg) while also ranking second in points (19.1 ppg) and assists (4.9 apg).
Şengün’s statistical brilliance has also been showcased this offseason in international play. Among all players participating in EuroBasket, he is seventh in scoring and second in rebounds. Thanks in large part to his dominant play, Turkey has booked a semifinal trip against a Giannis Antetokounmpo-led Greek squad.
Having seen Şengün tear through the competition over the past several months, Perkins expressed his positive outlook for the young man and his ball club this coming NBA season.
“Alperen Şengün is the real deal. There’s a reason why we have the Houston Rockets so high as far as being championship contenders. In my eyes, they’re right there with OKC,” Perkins explained.
When Şengün’s EuroBasket campaign comes to an end, he’ll jump into the Rockets’ training camp, where he’ll get the opportunity to establish chemistry with newly acquired superstar Kevin Durant.
The frontcourt combination of Şengün and Durant is a tandem worth looking forward to, and if the Rockets manage to stay healthy, Perkins’ vision of a deep playoff run for the Rockets might come to fruition.
