As Rockets stack wins, Alperen Sengun builds confidence in 3-point stroke

Alperen Sengun: “I know I can shoot. The only thing for me was confidence, and shooting it consistently every time. That’s what I’m doing right now.”

Alperen Sengun was a first-time NBA All-Star in the 2024-25 season, even while shooting just 23.3% from 3-point range on an average of only 0.3 makes per game.

In 2025-26, playing alongside All-Star teammate Kevin Durant on the new-look Houston Rockets (8-3), Sengun’s averages are up across the board.

Through 11 games, the 23-year-old big man is averaging more points (22.4 to 19.1), assists (7.4 to 4.9), steals (1.4 to 1.1), and blocks (0.9 to 0.8) on a per-game basis, and he’s doing so on a Houston squad that has won eight of its last nine outings.

But most notably, Sengun’s 3-point shooting has surged, and it’s helping to better space the floor for the NBA’s top-ranked offense.

To start 2025-26, Sengun is shooting 45.9% from distance, and he’s averaging 1.5 makes per game. That includes four in Friday’s blowout victory over the Portland Trail Blazers.

In his postgame press conference, the Turkish center was asked about the uptick in his 3-point shooting. He replied:

I’ve worked on it this summer, a lot. Cam (Hodges, Rockets assistant coach) was over there, and I had a Serbian coach (Djordje Sijan). We worked from the beginning, on my shooting style and everything. We worked the whole summer, and the big thing for me… was to then test it on the national team (at FIBA EuroBasket 2025).

Ime (Udoka) has given me that confidence, and Ergin Ataman (Turkey’s head coach) gave me that confidence when I was on the national team. If I wouldn’t shoot, he would tell me that I’ve got to shoot more.

I know I can shoot, and the only thing for me was confidence, and shooting it consistently every time. That’s what I’m doing right now.

Sengun finished Friday’s game with an outstanding line of 25 points, 10 rebounds, 9 assists, 3 steals, and 3 blocks, including 4-of-6 shooting from 3-point range (66.7%). Houston was +21 in his 36 minutes played.

Sengun and the Rockets will look to build on that momentum in Sunday’s matchup against the Orlando Magic (7-6), which wraps up a three-game homestand at Toyota Center. Tipoff is at 6:00 p.m. Central, and it will be televised regionally on Space City Home Network and nationally via NBA League Pass.

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