Alperen Sengun Strips Gary Payton of Iconic Nickname For 22YO Rockets Teammate After “Flu Game” Heroics

As the Houston Rockets and the San Antonio Spurs matched up, Tari Eason found himself shouldering significant responsibility. Interestingly, it wasn’t the Rockets but his mother, Teroya, who placed this immense challenge on his shoulders. In a Twitter post, she urged him to emulate Michael Jordan‘s famous flu game. While Tari couldn’t replicate a similar performance, he did conclude the night by notching his season-high scoring. Furthermore, with valuable contributions from Fred VanVleet and Alperen Sengun, the Rockets managed to extend the Spurs’ losing streak to 17 games.

In the low-scoring affair, Tari Eason came off the bench and led Houston in scoring with 18 points. Moreover, he displayed a well-rounded effort by grabbing 14 rebounds.

Alperen Sengun and Eason bestow hilarious interviews

During a delightful interview session, Alperen Sengun was queried about whether he had a nickname for Tari Eason; prompted by the fact that Tari had dubbed him “Big Wizard.” Sengun, initially expressing joy at Tari’s playful antics, shared that Eason always has something humorous to say to him. Soon, with a slight assist from Tari himself, Sengun recalled the nickname, saying, “Gloves.” The crew couldn’t help but chuckle at the innocent and hilarious moment that unfolded during the interview.

‘The Glove’ is a nickname famously associated with Gary Payton. He earned the nickname due to his relentless defensive pestering of guards.

He was known for incessantly hounding guards and making life exceedingly difficult for them on the court. Moreover, Payton managed to deploy his defensive magic on some of the best offensive players in the league at the time.

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Tari Eason’s response to his new nickname

Following Sengun’s interview, the media approached Eason, considering he was the standout player for the winning team. When informed about his new nickname from Sengun, Eason’s response elicited laughter from the crew as well. Upon hearing the name, he admitted, “Honestly, I had no idea what he was saying. Gloves? That’s alright. I’m cool with it. He’s the Wizard, and I’m Gloves. I’ll take it.”

During Sengun’s interview, it can be assumed that Tari Eason was going through his post-game rituals at a distance from the interview. So, when Sengun confirmed the name with Tari, it’s possible that he didn’t hear it initially and simply decided to go along with the flow.

Nevertheless, it seems the 22-year-old appreciates the nickname and is happy to embrace it. Additionally, Sengun might share the same sentiment, as he likely will not prefer to be referred to as the ‘baby Jokic’ throughout his career.

What do you make of Eason’s new nickname? Do you think it will stick?

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