Alperen Sengun stole the spotlight in Turkiye’s decisive EuroBasket 2025 victory over Latvia, earning praise from Atlanta Hawks star Kristaps Porzingis for his all-around performance.
The Houston Rockets center posted 16 points on 7-of-12 shooting, 8 rebounds, 7 assists, 1 steal, and 1 block in just 28 minutes, leaving a clear mark on the game.
“I mean, he’s good,” Porzingis told BasketNews. “He’s talented, the way he spins around off the body and this, like he’s really good at this, you know, one of the best.”
He also drew comparisons to NBA superstar Nikola Jokic, noting Sengun’s ability to elevate his teammates.
“He’s like a baby Jokic, you know, so his passing ability and how he makes his teammates better is a credit to him for sure.”
Sengun made history in the process, becoming the first Turkish player to record 15 or more points, 5 or more rebounds, and 5 or more assists in multiple EuroBasket games.
His versatile performance highlighted why he is considered one of the brightest young talents in international basketball. Porzingis also reflected on Latvia’s defensive struggles and his own team’s adjustments during the matchup.
“I think we overhelped. We overhelped,” he admitted. “We don’t need the help as much, especially leaving some of the guys that got hot. We cannot leave them so open.”
He cited the impact of Latvia’s Kenan Sipahi, who exploited defensive gaps.
“Because once you leave them open, then it’s in and out, and then we’re running out crazy, and then they can get a layup and stuff like that. So he [Kenan Sipahi] just opened everything up for them. It was tough for us,” Porzingis said, acknowledging both the skill of Turkiye’s offensive execution and the adjustments Latvia made to counter it.
The win showed Turkiye’s strength, but Porzingis focused on game details, including Sengun’s performance and defensive lessons for both teams.
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— BasketNews (@BasketNews_com) August 27, 2025
