{"id":163105,"date":"2025-10-17T08:57:47","date_gmt":"2025-10-17T12:57:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/?p=163105"},"modified":"2025-10-17T08:57:47","modified_gmt":"2025-10-17T12:57:47","slug":"carmelo-anthony-backing-rockets-star-alperen-sengun-mvp","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2025\/10\/17\/carmelo-anthony-backing-rockets-star-alperen-sengun-mvp\/","title":{"rendered":"Carmelo Anthony&#8217;s Backing a Rockets Star for 2025-26 NBA MVP"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>The upcoming NBA season hasn\u2019t even tipped off, but <a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/a\/anthoca01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Carmelo Anthony<\/a> is already stirring the conversation with a bold claim. The Hall of Famer and 10-time All-Star believes that <a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/s\/sengual01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Alperen Sengun<\/a>, the 23-year-old center of the Houston Rockets, could be the <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2025\/10\/14\/houston-rising-stars-shine-2030-projections\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_self\">league\u2019s next Most Valuable Player<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s a striking endorsement coming from one of the most respected scorers in NBA history. Anthony, who played for the Rockets briefly during his 19-year career, sees in Sengun the kind of modern big man who can anchor a contender; a player with vision, control, and a playmaking touch that sets him apart from his peers.<\/p>\n<h2>Carmelo Anthony Is Backing Rockets Star Alperen Sengun For MVP<\/h2>\n<p>During a recent discussion about breakout stars and future MVPs, Anthony singled out Sengun as his top choice. \u201cDurant has never played alongside a big who can pass like that,\u201d he says. \u201cYou can run your whole offense through him. Give him the ball, set a pick-and-roll, and force defenses to decide where to help. That\u2019s what makes him special.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The comparison most fans drew immediately was to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/j\/jokicni01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Nikola Jokic<\/a>, the Denver Nuggets superstar and two-time MVP. Like Jokic, Sengun possesses rare instincts for a player his size, being able to see plays before they develop and deliver pinpoint passes that open up Houston\u2019s offense.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Carmelo Anthony (<a  href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/carmeloanthony?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">@carmeloanthony<\/a>) says Alperen \u015eeng\u00fcn can be an MVP candidate this season<\/p>\n<p>&quot;KD never played a big man you can throw the ball into, and the offense can be ran through &#8211; someone who has a similar game to Jokic&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;And I can just throw the ball to Sengun, or play in\u2026 <a  href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/1yaDeyr634\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">pic.twitter.com\/1yaDeyr634<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Franchise \u015eeng\u00fcn (@FranchiseSengun) <a  href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/FranchiseSengun\/status\/1978217164781051950?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">October 14, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>Anthony went further, suggesting that with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/d\/duranke01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Kevin Durant<\/a> now in Houston, Sengun will finally have the right environment to showcase the full scope of his talent. \u201cWith KD there, you can\u2019t double Sengun,\u201d he notes. \u201cThat changes everything.\u201d<\/p>\n<h3>Alperen Sengun&#8217;s Rise<\/h3>\n<p>Sengun\u2019s progression over the past two years has been one of the league\u2019s better success stories. Last season, he earned <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2025\/01\/31\/rockets-alperen-sengun-all-star-era-blasts-off\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_self\">his first All-Star selection<\/a>, averaging 19.0 points, 10.3 rebounds, and 4.9 assists per game, cementing his reputation as one of the NBA\u2019s most complete young centers. His ability to blend post scoring, rebounding, and elite-level passing has made him indispensable to Ime Udoka\u2019s system in Houston.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_152648\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-152648\" style=\"width: 2560px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-152648\" src=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/07\/USATSI_26095444_168404789_lowres-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1706\" srcset=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/07\/USATSI_26095444_168404789_lowres-scaled.jpg 2560w, https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/07\/USATSI_26095444_168404789_lowres-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/07\/USATSI_26095444_168404789_lowres-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/07\/USATSI_26095444_168404789_lowres-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/07\/USATSI_26095444_168404789_lowres-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/07\/USATSI_26095444_168404789_lowres-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/07\/USATSI_26095444_168404789_lowres-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/07\/USATSI_26095444_168404789_lowres-1200x800.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-152648\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">May 4, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Golden State Warriors forward Jimmy Butler III (10) defends as Houston Rockets center Alperen Sengun (28) controls the ball during game seven of the first round for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The Turkish big man carried that momentum into the international stage at EuroBasket, where he led Turkey to the final while averaging 21.6 points, 10 rebounds, and 6.6 assists per game. That performance transformed him from <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2025\/09\/03\/alperen-sengun-vs-nikola-jokic-debate\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_self\">a domestic star into a global name<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>For many analysts, Sengun has become the prototype of the new-generation big: versatile, unselfish, and tactically intelligent. He doesn\u2019t rely on athleticism or brute strength but on timing, feel, and constant motion, much like the player Carmelo compared him to in Jokic.<\/p>\n<h3>A Perfect Partnership with Kevin Durant<\/h3>\n<p>Durant arriving in Houston this offseason <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2025\/10\/06\/sengun-durant-partnership-two-alphas-coexist\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_self\">could be the turning point<\/a> in Sengun\u2019s rise to superstardom. Durant\u2019s scoring gravity naturally draws defensive attention, creating passing lanes and mismatches that Sengun can exploit. The early chemistry between the two has already been evident in preseason action, with Sengun\u2019s playmaking <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2025\/08\/24\/first-time-all-star-alperen-sengun-rockets-most-important-player\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_self\">elevating the flow of team&#8217;s offense<\/a>.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">Two perfect examples how teams will have a hard time stopping the Sengun and Durant two man game.<\/p>\n<p>The first play Nurkic dies not want to leave Sengun which opens up the lane for Durant.<\/p>\n<p>The second play shows the gravity that Sengun has which leads to a wide open 3 for Durant. <a  href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/qeVUWWjaNl\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">pic.twitter.com\/qeVUWWjaNl<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Lachard Binkley (@BinkleyHoops) <a  href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/BinkleyHoops\/status\/1976345489806405844?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">October 9, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>Anthony believes that partnership could unlock a new level for the Rockets. \u201cWhen you\u2019ve got a guy like KD who demands doubles, and a big like Sengun who can punish them with his passing, that\u2019s a nightmare,\u201d Anthony explains. \u201cThat\u2019s MVP-type basketball.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The fit also gives Durant something he\u2019s rarely had: a true passing big who can share creation duties. As Carmelo points out, \u201cDurant\u2019s never had a center who could read the floor like this. This might be the most balanced team he\u2019s been on in years.\u201d<\/p>\n<h3>MVP Prediction: Potential Or Premature Hype?<\/h3>\n<p>While Anthony&#8217;s statement turned heads, it isn\u2019t without merit.<\/p>\n<p>Sengun\u2019s blend of statistical production, team impact, and narrative momentum checks the right boxes for an MVP campaign. If the Rockets can emerge as a playoff contender and he maintains his trajectory, improving efficiency while leading the offense, Anthony&#8217;s prediction might not sound so far-fetched by season\u2019s end. And, if Sengun continues to play with the same poise and creativity that\u2019s defined his rise, this could be the year the NBA world learns what Houston already knows.<\/p>\n<p>Still, competition in the Western Conference remains fierce, and Houston\u2019s young roster will need to prove it can <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2025\/10\/10\/amen-thompson-gm-respect-in-houston\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_self\">transform potential into wins<\/a>. For now, one thing is certain: Anthony&#8217;s MVP prediction has put the Rockets center firmly in the spotlight.<\/p>\n<div class=\"modal-image-setImageMetadata\">\n<div class=\"modal-image-setImageMetadata\">\n<p class=\"ng-binding\">\u00a9 Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The upcoming NBA season hasn\u2019t even tipped off, but Carmelo Anthony is already stirring the conversation with a bold claim. The Hall of Famer and 10-time All-Star believes that Alperen Sengun, the 23-year-old center of the Houston Rockets, could be the league\u2019s next Most Valuable Player. It\u2019s a striking endorsement coming from one of the [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5653,"featured_media":163118,"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":"","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[31,1608,62,3],"tags":[4293,67,69,1143],"class_list":["post-163105","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-rockets","category-basketball","category-nba","category-news","tag-alperen-sengun","tag-carmelo-anthony","tag-kevin-durant","tag-nba-awards"],"modified_by":"Quenton S Albertie","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/163105","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\/5653"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=163105"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/163105\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":163119,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/163105\/revisions\/163119"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/163118"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=163105"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=163105"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=163105"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}