{"id":109349,"date":"2024-11-27T14:56:25","date_gmt":"2024-11-27T19:56:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/?p=109349"},"modified":"2024-11-27T14:58:27","modified_gmt":"2024-11-27T19:58:27","slug":"nikola-jokic-alperen-sengun","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2024\/11\/27\/nikola-jokic-alperen-sengun\/","title":{"rendered":"Ex-NBA Champ Compares Rockets Young Star to Nikola Jokic"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/s\/sengual01.html?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=lastwordonsports.com&amp;utm_campaign=2024-11-27_bbr\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Alperen Sengun<\/a> has taken the league by surprise ever since his rookie season. His passing skills and scoring finesse inside the paint have drawn <a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/j\/jokicni01.html?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=lastwordonsports.com&amp;utm_campaign=2024-11-27_bbr\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Nikola Jokic<\/a> comparisons ever since he came into the league. After the Houston Rockets beat the Minnesota Timberwolves to clinch a spot in the next round of the NBA Cup, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/p\/perkike01.html?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=lastwordonsports.com&amp;utm_campaign=2024-11-27_bbr\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Kendrick Perkins<\/a> felt the same way. He took to X (formerly known as Twitter) and expressed how Alperen Sengun has solidified himself in the league, and his growth trajectory looks like Nikola Jokic. Therefore, he crowned Sengun as &#8220;baby Jokic.&#8221;<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">Imma start calling Sengun baby Jokic. That young man is problem!!!<\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Kendrick Perkins (@KendrickPerkins) <a  href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/KendrickPerkins\/status\/1861614735294099473?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">November 27, 2024<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<h2>Ex-NBA Champ Compares Rockets Young Star Alperen Sengun to Nikola Jokic<\/h2>\n<p>Alperen Sengun finished the game against Minnesota with a 20-point triple-double. This was his third <a  href=\"https:\/\/www.statmuse.com\/nba\/ask\/sengun-how-many-triple-doubles\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">triple-double<\/a> of the season, recording seven for his whole career. He was the youngest center to record a triple-double (until <a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/w\/wembavi01.html?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=lastwordonsports.com&amp;utm_campaign=2024-11-27_bbr\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Victor Wembanyama<\/a> was drafted) and now is repeating a similar feat.<\/p>\n<p><a  href=\"https:\/\/www.yardbarker.com\/nba\/articles\/rockets_alperen_sengun_is_youngest_center_in_nba_history_with_this_feat\/s1_13132_41306933\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Sengun<\/a> is the youngest center in NBA history to record seven triple-doubles in their career. In comparison, Jokic was also 22 years old when he recorded his seventh triple-double. So this record has been decided now by a difference of days. Jokic was almost a month away from turning 23 when he <a  href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/boxscores\/201801080GSW.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">accomplished<\/a> this feat against the Golden State Warriors. Whereas Sengun turned 22 only in July. So, the career path similarity is visible clearly.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">Alperen Sengun does a little of everything as the <a  href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/HoustonRockets?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">@HoustonRockets<\/a> clinch West Group A! \ud83c\udfc6<\/p>\n<p>\ud83d\ude80 22 PTS<br \/>\n\ud83d\ude80 10 REB<br \/>\n\ud83d\ude80 11 AST<br \/>\n\ud83d\ude80 3 STL<br \/>\n\ud83d\ude80 3 BLK<\/p>\n<p>Houston moves to 3-0 in the <a  href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/EmiratesNBACup?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">#EmiratesNBACup<\/a> and 13-6 on the season \ud83d\udc4f <a  href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/Azyya8bp9C\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">pic.twitter.com\/Azyya8bp9C<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 NBA (@NBA) <a  href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/NBA\/status\/1861626788838797694?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">November 27, 2024<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<h2><\/h2>\n<h3>Did Jokic Inspire Sengun?<\/h3>\n<p>In January 2024, Sengun was asked what he felt about these comparisons with Jokic. His response gave the right amount of respect to Jokic but also made a statement of his own.<\/p>\n<blockquote><p><a  href=\"https:\/\/www.si.com\/nba\/nuggets\/news\/nba-star-shares-unexpected-reaction-to-nikola-jokic-comparisons\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">He said,<\/a> <em>&#8220;No,&#8221;<\/em> when asked if the comparison bothered him. But he further added, <em>&#8220;Not for now. You know, I&#8217;m still young, but after some point, yeah.&#8221;<\/em><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">.<a  href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/alperennsengun?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">@alperennsengun<\/a> talks about being called \u201cBaby Joki\u0107\u201d and going up against top bigs like Embiid and Sabonis.<\/p>\n<p>Full episode with <a  href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/jj_redick?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">@jj_redick<\/a> drops 1\/26: <a  href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/4OVLbWJYoC\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">https:\/\/t.co\/4OVLbWJYoC<\/a> <a  href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/oBjJKbdvIC\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">pic.twitter.com\/oBjJKbdvIC<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 TheYoungManAndTheThree (@OldManAndThree) <a  href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/OldManAndThree\/status\/1750602624447942886?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">January 25, 2024<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Sengun felt happy that he was being compared to greats like Jokic, especially so early in his career. But once he is in his prime, he would like to make a name of his own. Now that Perkins is making the same comparison, Sengun may not be fazed by it. After all, the three-time NBA MVP now has 155 <a  href=\"https:\/\/www.statmuse.com\/nba\/ask\/how-many-career-triple-doubles-does-jokic-have\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">triple-doubles<\/a> for his career. So, this comparison at a young age should fuel and motivate Alperen Sengun to continue on this path.<\/p>\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/category\/rockets\/\" target=\"_self\">Rockets<\/a> needed a solid center when Alperen Sengun was drafted. Now, Sengun is on the trajectory of becoming <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2024\/10\/29\/has-jalen-green-dethroned-alperen-sengun-as-the-face-of-the-houston-rockets\/\" target=\"_self\">Houston&#8217;s franchise player<\/a>. Do you think he has what it takes to replicate what Nikola Jokic has done in Denver? While Sengun may not have the same skills as Jokic from beyond the three-point line, Sengun is certainly capable of developing those over time.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Alperen Sengun has taken the league by surprise ever since his rookie season. His passing skills and scoring finesse inside the paint have drawn Nikola Jokic comparisons ever since he came into the league. After the Houston Rockets beat the Minnesota Timberwolves to clinch a spot in the next round of the NBA Cup, Kendrick [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5346,"featured_media":109438,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"","sfio_featured_image":false,"sfio_embed_code":"","_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"1","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[62,1608,31],"tags":[4293,3215,72],"class_list":["post-109349","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-nba","category-basketball","category-rockets","tag-alperen-sengun","tag-kendrick-perkins","tag-nikola-jokic"],"modified_by":"Eamon Cassels, Editor","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/109349","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5346"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=109349"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/109349\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/109438"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=109349"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=109349"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=109349"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}