For a moment, it felt as if Alperen Sengun could not have found a worse moment to have an off night. Sengun was scoreless in the first quarter and Turkey’s struggles somewhat mirrored his as they could not create some distance between them and a gritty Poland squad. 

The 2025 NBA All-Star was only able to knock down his first field goal with 6:03 left in the second quarter, but it lit a fire under the 12 Dev Adam. Turkey would go on an 18-6 run to close out the first half and build a lead they would never relinquish. 

In reality, a bad night on offense isn’t going to put Sengun down, as he found other ways to contribute. His defense was what created his first made basket and his passing was what kept his teammates involved throughout the game. Of course, he did all this while creating highlights we will likely see days after the end of EuroBasket 2025.  

For his efforts, not only did he bring Turkey to the semifinals of this year’s EuroBasket, but he also etched his name in the history books. 

Sengun’s diverse skillset has been on full display for much of EuroBasket 2025 and it’s not surprising especially to those who have closely followed the Houston Rockets as of late. The Turkish center slid all the way into the 16th overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft and the Rockets happily took him to join Jalen Green and Josh Christopher (now both gone) in their rebuilding effort a few years back. 

The 23 year old’s roles with Houston and Turkey have gotten similar over the years, as Sengun has developed as a player and as his teammates have come and gone. Having just turned 23 a few months ago, Sengun has already emerged as a leader for both squads and it’s clear that things run through him. 

Germany had a dominant run in the group phase of this year’s EuroBasket, but there’s something different with this current iteration of Turkey. Sengun is the clear fulcrum, but he doesn’t need to force things. The Round of 16 game against Poland was proof of that as he was able to get his triple-double within the flow of the game rather than forcing his way and hurting his team’s chances. 

It’s fair to say that Sengun is one of the frontrunners for the EuroBasket 2025 MVP award, especially if he leads Turkey to its first FIBA international championship. Peers like Luka Doncic, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Franz Wagner, and Dennis Schroder deserve consideration as well, but Sengun has been a consistent presence for his squad, regardless of what the numbers say.

Because of that, it’s expected that age won’t deter Alperen Sengun from facing adversity with no fear. A semifinal matchup with Giannis Antetokounmpo and Greece beckons and it will very well be the toughest test for Sengun and Turkey so far in EuroBasket 2025. 

It won’t be a walk in the park for sure, but the even-keeled nature of Sengun will ensure that Turkey remains a formidable force.