Turkish star Alperen Şengün picked up right where he left off – dazzling, dominant, and downright unguardable.
The Houston Rockets center headlined the team’s preseason debut Monday night, dropping 19 points in just 17 minutes to lead a 122-113 victory over the Atlanta Hawks at Toyota Center.
Şengün, coming off a breakout All-Star season, looked in midseason form.
He shot 5-for-9 from the field – including two smooth triples – while adding five rebounds, six assists, two blocks, and a steal.
His crisp passing and creative footwork once again drew comparisons to Nikola Jokic, but his confidence looked entirely his own.
From a crafty hook in the lane to a driving floater and a 26-foot bomb from deep, the 23-year-old anchored Houston’s attack with flair and efficiency.
His defensive presence shone, too, with a second-quarter block on Jalen Johnson that sent the home crowd roaring.
Head coach Ime Udoka limited his starters’ minutes – resting Fred VanVleet and Dillon Brooks – but still got an energetic performance from his bench.
JD Davison poured in 17 points on 5-of-7 from three, while Amen Thompson added 11 points and three assists, flashing the athleticism that made him a lottery pick.
Tari Eason chipped in 10 points and six rebounds, punctuating the night with two thunderous dunks.
The Rockets shot 48.1% from the floor and a sharp 41.2% from beyond the arc, outrebounding Atlanta 53-34 to offset 21 turnovers.
A steady third quarter gave them control, and they never looked back.
For the Hawks, Nickeil Alexander-Walker led with 13 points, followed by Johnson and Onyeka Okongwu with 11 apiece.
Trae Young managed nine points and eight assists in 18 minutes but struggled to find rhythm as Atlanta’s offense sputtered from deep, connecting on just 30.6% of its three-point attempts.
Şengün’s performance only fueled the buzz surrounding his development after a stellar summer run, where he helped Türkiye reach the EuroBasket 2025 final.
His evolving game now positions him as Houston’s cornerstone – and perhaps one of the NBA’s next global superstars.
The Rockets will continue preseason play Thursday against the Shanghai Sharks before opening the 2025-26 regular season on Oct. 22 in a highly anticipated clash with the reigning champion Oklahoma City Thunder – a rematch of last year’s playoff showdown.
