Is Alperen Sengun Already Better Than a 21-Year-Old Nikola Jokic Whom He Idolizes?

On Wednesday we saw yet another crafty night from Nikola Jokic, who welcomed his right-hand man Jamal Murray back into the side. The Denver Nuggets were finally able to defeat the Houston Rockets, who led the season series 2-0 prior to tonight’s contest. The Joker secured his 7th triple-double furthering the gap between him and the next best, Luka Doncic who has 2. But it wasn’t a night where Jokic got what he wanted, or operated at ease. Denver needed everything from their keystone even when Michael Porter Jr exploded for a season-high 30 points. That’s how much the Rockets have transformed from the league’s laughing stock to one of the most formidable competitors.

At the center of the action is Fred VanVleet. The former Toronto Raptors veteran has flipped the culture and helped elevate the young core with his leadership. One guy in particular has benefitted from his arrival, the center who has matched up to Jokic to some proximity. I am referring to their third-year big ‘Baby Joker’ Alperen Sengun.

The Turkish basketball player under the leadership of both new Head Coach Ime Udoka and VanVleet is having a breakout season. His game almost uncannily identical to Jokic. Legends are seeing the center position transform through these two international stars. Sengun’s brilliance and developments add further substance to these comparisons. If we were to judge him from when the Joker was 21, is he close?

Alperen Sengun is thriving in his third season

Sengun came as an innocent 19-year-old who couldn’t even understand English, let alone the NBA. The Rockets saw an early spark and leveraged their 16th pick in the 2021 draft. He had that same slowness to his game that Jokic possesses, but no one saw him as an equal. However, Houston noticed his passion for the game when he learned all the plays, the position of his teammates all from a playbook that was devised in English.

They had found a leader who could guide the troops with his incredible court foresight. During those first two seasons, Sengun’s composure and striking ability to find openings in the defense earned him the Baby Joker title. Nevertheless, he wasn’t able to take off even though he had brilliant instincts compiled with his skill. Something was missing, and that was tough love. He got that when Udoka stepped in and installed a system of accountability and harmony.

“I love tough coaches. Sometimes I lose my [concentration]. I feel like when I’m working with coaches [who get] mad I think that makes me wake up. It’s good for me,” he told The Ringer.

Udoka cursing him out and becoming the tough coach Sengun desires has now helped his potential shine under the brightest lights. Sengun unleashing his bundled-up potential has simultaneously helped the Rockets compete with the best. He is averaging a career-high 21 points per game and 5.6 assists per game. The additions of VanVleet and Dillion Brooks have reshaped the franchise’s culture. Gone are the days when the Houston Rockets fought to not be last. Their attitude has taken a 360 turn and they are now wildly optimistic.

How was Nikola Jokic doing when he was 21?

At 21, the Joker hadn’t blossomed just yet. He was in his second season still adjusting to his role on the Denver Nuggets. He had taken over as a playmaking center showcasing shades of his ingenious vision. However, he wasn’t where Sengun was. Jokic was still seen as a role player. As a sophomore, he hadn’t earned the reins of the franchise just yet. At the time, Danilo Gallinari was the leading scorer ahead of Jokic who averaged 16.7 points per game.

Veteran point guard Jameer Nelson was the primary ball handler averaging a tick over 5 assists per game, again Nikola Jokic was second dishing 4.9 dimes per game. He was in the early stages of establishing himself as the future of the franchise. Jokic barely missed out on Most Improved honors, losing to Giannis Antetokounmpo. However, his superstar potential had been realized.

He had a decent season on a 40-42 Nuggets team who were seen as a team that was potentially one step away from earning a place in the postseason. This was the year they would not only discover that piece but also introduce two individuals who would create history later on.

The franchise drafted Jamal Murray with the 7th pick in 2016. This exact tandem would begin flourishing as time went on. Slowly as both Murray and Jokic became the one-two punch, the Nuggets began their ascend. Every season their position improved, and a few moves later it was contending aspirations.

No one knew Jokic’s unprecedented passing ability and Kentucky prospect Jamal Murray’s scoring toolset would eventually become the foundation for a championship. That’s the reward the Nuggets organization earned when they chose to retain Murray even after his devastating injury and added complimenting players besides Nikola Jokic.

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That might be something the Houston Rockets will look to do with Sengun as the conductor.

Alperen Sengun is doing just enough to trump Jokic at 21

If we had to draw a comparison, Alperen Sengun is slightly ahead of where Jokic was at 21. The Turkish center is setting the standards to potentially be a superstar. He is averaging All-Star caliber numbers that are synonymous with the Rockets’ catapulting rise back into NBA relevance.

But it isn’t as easy to say Sengun is necessarily better than Jokic. The 21-year-old has a relatively better cast around him that allows his skills to aggravate. Jokic had to work his way into becoming the general on the team in an era of basketball where offense wasn’t so easy to come. For Sengun, the league today is offense-friendly and he has the right veterans to take him over the horizon.

However, nothing takes away from the fact that he is cut from the same cloth as Jokic. An international talent who has carved out a superstar ceiling despite being clueless to start. All that’s left to see if he can take that ginormous rise that Jokic took in his fourth season and eventually peaked to MVP status. We are yet to see the Sengun reach his peak, hopefully.

So far what he has shown, Sengun is indeed developing a lot faster than Jokic, and if he is given the keys to an offense today, he might just produce numbers like Jokic in the coming years.

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Do you think we will see a second coming of the Joker through Sengun?