If there’s one thing the NBA Community loves more than the All-Star Game snub, it’s the spectacle of a player making their first appearance after being overlooked for years. Vernon Maxwell is quite the hype man. You know, the type who’s not afraid to speak his mind and call out the usual suspects. When thinking about the old-school Rockets mentality, it’s hard not to picture Vernon Maxwell in the mix.
It all started when Maxwell started making his opinion known on social media. Vernon isn’t the guy to sit in the shadows while his team is underappreciated. He has been the loud, unapologetic voice of the team for years and now he’s taken that same energy and applied it to lobbying for one of Houston’s most promising young stars.
From the get-go, Vernon started firing off posts, encouraging Rockets fans to show love for Sengun, urging them to vote for him, and just generally getting the hype machine going. He wasn’t just talking stats but he was out there on social media comparing Sengun to some of the greats, backing him up with takes that were as bold as his on-court trash-talk in the 90’s
On X (formerly Twitter), he shared a post saying “Vote for Sengun and Green for the All Star. If Sengun gets in he has promised to teach how to say Utah s*cks in Turkish.” After the nomination, he took to X again, saying, “They’ve been letting fraud a** turkeys from Utah in the All-Star for years. It’s about time we have a legit guy from Turkey in. Congrats my guy Sengun!!!!!”
They’ve been letting fraud ass turkeys from Utah in the All Star for years. It’s about time we have a legit guy from Turkey in. Congrats my guy Sengun!!!!!
— Vernon Maxwell (@VernonMaxwell11) January 31, 2025
However, Sengun isn’t just all hype. He has the stats to back it up too.
Alperen Sengun’s meteoric rise to All-Star
Alperen Sengun’s season has been nothing short of a revelation. He has established himself as one of the most dynamic and leading big men of the NBA. After two years of development with the Rockets, this season has been the one where he has assimilated and put to use all he has learned.
Jan 23, 2023; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Rockets center Alperen Sengun (28) reacts after a made basket against the Minnesota Timberwolves during the second quarter at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Erik Williams-USA TODAY Sports
The numbers don’t lie and Sengun has been putting up stellar ones. He is putting up 19.3 points, 10.2 rebounds, and nearly 6 assists per game. These are exceptional numbers for a center in his third year. What’s impressive is how he does it. He is not your typical back-to-the-basket big. He possesses an incredibly high basketball IQ, and that shows up in how he reads the game and makes decisions.
His passing, especially for a big man, is off the charts. He has the unique vision to hit cutters and deliver precision passes to the perimeter, and he can even facilitate the offense in pick-and-roll situations, which is rare for someone his size.
What sets him apart from most other bigs is his agility and multifaceted offense. He has also made ground defensively and proven himself solid in that regard too.
In spite of his meteoric rise Sengun still has room to improve. With more consistency and improved chemistry with his teammates, the sky is the limit for this wonder kid. He’s a special talent in the making.
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