Türkiye guard Shane Larkin suggested that Alperen Sengun might be ready to shed the “Baby Jokic” label, noting the Houston Rockets center’s growth in the NBA and EuroBasket 2025.
“You can see the similarities with their games. Alperen has big aspirations… I don’t think he’s anywhere near his ceiling,” Larkin said, via Eurohoops, highlighting Sengun’s skill and confidence.
Sengun, 23, posted a standout performance against Serbia in Group A, scoring 28 points on 10-of-17 shooting and grabbing 13 rebounds in a win over Nikola Jokic and the Serbian team.
He also added 8 assists, 5 turnovers, and 4 steals, finishing with an efficiency rating of 37.
Larkin reflected on the origin of the nickname, saying it was suitable during Sengun’s first two NBA seasons due to the stylistic similarities with Jokic.
“But he’s much bigger and much better than he was when they gave him that nickname,” Larkin added, pointing to Sengun’s evolution as a player and NBA All-Star.
Sengun’s EuroBasket 2025 averages through five group games include 21.6 points, 9.6 rebounds, and 6.8 assists per contest, with shooting splits of 65.6% from the field and 81.8% from the free-throw line.
His performance against Serbia, paired with consistent contributions in earlier group games, signals his readiness to take on a leading role for Türkiye in the knockout stage.
Jokic scored 22 points with 9 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 steals, and a block, yet Sengun’s output helped Türkiye secure a pivotal Group A victory.
