Throughout Alperen Sengun’s brief NBA career, a few things have been constant. Sengun is showcasing elite post-up moves, excellent playmaking skills not just for a center but for any position, and the ability to rebound against the best front-court players in the NBA.
Even though his career has been short, he has already shown himself to be one of the best centers in the NBA. Sengun made his first All-Star Game last season and was one of, if not the best, players in the EuroBasket tournament. There is one area that Sengun has struggled in, though, and that is shooting, specifically free-throw shooting.
Through his first four seasons, Sengun’s highest free-throw percentage has been 71.5%, which he achieved in his second season. Last year, Sengun went backwards, shooting a career low 69.2% from the charity stripe. The low free-throw percentage was even more noticeable considering Sengun went to the free-throw line more last season than in any season before in his career.
After last year’s disappointing first-round loss to the Golden State Warriors, Sengun made it a point to say he needed to get better for the 2025-26 season. Sengun showed everyone quickly that he plans to do precisely that as he excelled in the EuroBasket tournament and in his three preseason games. Sengun showed improved defense, 3-point shooting, and free-throw shooting.
Sengun showed the world quickly that he had worked hard on his free-throw shooting as he shot an improved 75.4 percent during EuroBasket on 57 attempts. Sengun has been even better during his three preseason games, as he was a perfect 12-12 from the charity stripe in three preseason games.
Yes, it is a small sample size, but it shows that Sengun has worked tirelessly on his free-throw shooting all offseason. Teams took to fouling Sengun and putting him on the line last season instead of giving up the easy basket in the paint. With his reputation growing and his importance to the Rockets’ success becoming more evident by the year, teams will send Sengun to the line even more this upcoming season.
If Sengun can continue improving not only his free-throw shooting but also his 3-point shooting, teams will have very few options when it comes to stopping him on the offensive end. Sengun averaged a little over 19 points per game last season. If he can carry his improved free-throw shooting into the regular season, expect him to set a new career high in points and possibly have his name mentioned in MVP talks throughout the season.
