By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
With Turkiye on the way to the EuroBasket 2025, 23-year-old Alperen Sengun opened up about team goals in the upcoming international tournament and also talked about the 2025-26 NBA Regular Season with the Houston Rockets.
“I am always excited to play for the national team. Fighting for my country and playing with my friends is a very different feeling from the NBA. We have not had major success in a long time. I hope we can become a strong team and be successful this summer,” he mentioned in an interview with Anadolu Agency, “We will work hard, go there prepared, and do our best. The goal, of course, is a medal. Whoever wants it most at the EuroBasket will win. We have a very good team. If everyone is focused and plays with a desire to win, I believe we will achieve great things. I believe we can win a medal.”
The Giresun native is bouncing back in the EuroBasket, following the 2022 edition and averaging 16.5 points per contest, but his country was limited to tenth place in the final standings. He also powered up the senior national team in FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournaments in 2021 and 2023, and in the Qualifiers of the FIBA World Cup 2023 and EuroBasket 2022. Winning medals was the case at the junior level, with silver in the FIBA U18 European Championship 2019 and bronze in the FIBA U16 European Championship 2018.
Last season with the Rockets, his fourth in the NBA, he went for 19.2 points, 10.5 rebounds, 4.9 assists, 1.2 steals, and 0.8 blocks per contest over 83 appearances until being eliminated by the Golden State Warriors in the Quarterfinals of the Western Conference.
“Our goal is the championship,” he said about the 2025-26 campaign, “Everyone wants that. I hope we can give it to the city of Houston.”
“I’m excited to play with Durant. Everyone is excited to play with him. His age doesn’t matter. Ultimately, he’s Kevin Durant,” he also welcomed the addition of a two-time champion, “I have no doubt Durant will bring a lot to the team.”