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Kevin Durant officially kicked off his 18th season in the NBA on Monday at the preseason media day. During the press conference, he spoke highly of Alperen Sengun.
“I’ve played alongside some skilled big men who excel in their roles—those who can defend, post up, set solid screens, finish strong at the rim, and block shots. Alpi, however, can do a bit of everything and more, including handling the ball like a guard on the perimeter,” Durant remarked about the 23-year-old center from the Houston Rockets.
The two-time NBA champion kept an eye on Sengun during EuroBasket 2025 in the offseason, in addition to his trade to the Rockets and the progress around a contract extension.
“It’s always beneficial to play in that environment,” he said, reflecting on his new teammate representing Turkey in the recent FIBA tournament. “It’s a challenging style of basketball with a slower tempo. You have to really execute a half-court game in EuroBasket, which sharpens your skills. As I enter my fifth year and have experienced playoff basketball, all those experiences contribute to becoming a better and more confident player.”
In response to a question about Durant’s arrival in Houston, Sengun shared, “I’m genuinely excited to play alongside him. I look forward to learning from him and finding ways to win together.”
During EuroBasket, the Giresun native averaged 21.6 points, 10.1 rebounds, and 6.6 assists per game, earning a silver medal and a spot on the All-Star Five of the tournament.
“I was granted so much freedom, which the coach encouraged, and the players supported me in that. Representing my country on the national team feels different than playing here,” he explained about his role under coach Ergin Ataman.
“EuroBasket served as a preparation for me to transition here and have a standout season. It allowed me to test my capabilities while also leading us to victories,” he added.
Their streak of eight consecutive wins was halted by a loss to Germany in the gold-medal game.
“Being there and receiving such encouragement from Türkiye was incredible. It’s a vast country, and the people deeply desire success from the national teams. I’m proud of what we achieved. While we didn’t capture the title, I believe in being patient. We have the World Cup in two years, so hopefully, we can perform even better and make our country proud once again,” Sengun expressed.
