In his fourth season, Houston Rockets forward Alperen Sengun ascended into an All-Star, which garnered ESPN's Kendrick Perkins ' respect and appreciation for the 22-year-old's impact. Sengun has earned the nickname Baby Jokic , highlighting his dual offensive capabilities as a scorer and playmaker on one end and an elite rebounder and defender on the other.

For Perkins, Sengun's ascension as a two-way All-Star is a big reason why he considers the Rockets to be championship contenders heading into the 2025-26 campaign, he said, per ESPN's NBA Today.

“[Alperen Sengun] is a top 5 big in the NBA. You know why? Not just because of the points, not just because of the rebounds and the assists, but he actually plays defense at a high level,” Perkins said. “Watch and see how great he is

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