OKC Thunder NBA draft profile: Alperen Sengun – big man with huge upside

The annual OKC Thunder draft prospect profile series continues with European standout Alperen Sengun the focus of this segment.

Perhaps the greatest takeaway from this postseason is the reemergence of the big man. And, not just the ones who can spread the floor with 3-point shooting. Deandre Ayton has been as critical to the Suns’ progression as their All-Star backcourt.

In fact, most of the upper echelon features big men that are integral to their club’s success such as Nikola Jokic, Joel Embiid, Anthony Davis, and the aforementioned Ayton.  While the performances of players like Brook Lopez, Kristaps Porzingis, Ivica Zubac, Jonas Valanciunas, and Rudy Gobert all were critical to their team’s playoff outcomes.

Adding fuel to the big man resurgence was how quickly the Celtics traded to bring back Al Horford after they failed to get out of the first round. Or the Raptors major regression in the East after losing both their big men (Marc Gasol and Serge Ibaka) this past offseason.

While teams give extra credence to floor spacing centers greater emphasis is placed on bigs with defensive adaptability and advanced playmaking fundamentals.

Enter Alperen Sengun whose stock is rising and could be one of the biggest steals of the 2021 draft class.

OKC Thunder draft prospect preview for Alperen Sengun:

Specifics:

• Height: 6’9″
• Weight: 240 pounds
• Position: Center
• Birthdate/Age:  July 25, 2002, 18 years
• International Team: Besiktas of the Turkish League
• Stat line: 19.2 points, 9.4 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 1.3 steals, 1.7 blocks
• Home Town: Giresun, Turkey

Box Score Statistics:

Provided by Basketball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 7/13/2021.

Current Ranking:

For the first time in the series, the range provided on mock drafts varies beyond double-digits with Sengun listed as high as ninth and as low as 36th.

It’s typical for European prospects to not necessarily have as much hype but the big man is gaining traction and his selection is more likely to occur just at the end of the lottery or shortly after.

• The Ringer: 9th
• NBA DraftNet: 36th
• ESPN: 14th
• CBS Sports: 15th
• NBA: 16th
• Bleacher Report: 16th
• FanSided The Step Back: 19th

With that let’s dive a little deeper into Sengun to determine his strengths and weaknesses.

Alperen Sengun strengths and weaknesses

Strengths:

While the experts vary on Sengun’s seeding in the draft part of the reason why is access. Prospects who play overseas simply aren’t as visible or games as accessible as their counterparts who play in the NCAA or G-League Ignite.

Luka Doncic who in hindsight was the definitive top choice in his draft class also was hampered by similar problems. That, however, doesn’t mean franchises aren’t fully aware of European prospects although some clubs put greater emphasis on their international scouting.

With Sengun playing for his National team at the Olympic Qualifying Tournament the spotlight on him increased and subsequently his position on mock drafts improved.

At just 18 (he’ll turn 19 four days before the July 29th draft) he followed a very similar path as Doncic playing in Europe and winning MVP of his league despite facing grown men.

After Evan Mobley, Sengun is the next best big man in the 2021 class. He’s already demonstrated traits any NBA team can benefit from but the question is how high his ceiling is. Will he become another Enes Kanter or will he blossom into another Nikola Jokic?

That he possesses strengths in scoring, rebounding, and playmaking is why some envision the potential for him to grow into another Jokic.

As a rookie, he’ll offer a well-developed paint game that includes a wide range of moves including pump fakes, hook shots, and an impressive spin move. Watching him work in the paint highlights his high I.Q. as he’s capable of reacting and countering any defensive move drawing 6.2 free throws per game.

As an 81.1 percent free-throw shooter there is reason to believe he’ll eventually be able to extend his shot out to the perimeter. He’s also a solid rebounder on both ends grabbing 4.1 offensive boards and 5.3 defensive boards per game.

While his defense is limited based on his lack of lateral movement he brings energy and is a hard worker who garnered 1.7 blocks per game in spite of not being overly athletic or quick off his feet.

Weaknesses:

Sengun doesn’t stretch the court and has some mechanical issues to fix on his shot. Again, the fact he shoots over 80 percent from the charity stripe bodes well for extending his range eventually out to the perimeter.

The main area he’ll need to improve is on the defensive side of the hardwood. Oddly, the footwork he benefits from on the offensive end doesn’t translate defensively. Couple that with his lack of a quick first jump or athleticism and it could result in teams targeting him at the rim or attacking him in pick and roll.

Several highlights from his time with Besiktas showcase him coming from out of nowhere to block a shot. Sure, he’s smaller than some of the bigs he’ll face in the NBA but based on how quickly he dissects plays on the offensive end there should be optimism that he’ll put the same effort in to improve and grow within his drafting team’s defensive scheme.

Pro Comparison:

The players’ analysts cite as potential comparisons are Nikola Vucevic, Domantas Sabonis, Enes Kanter, Al Horford, and Goga Bitadze. Talk about a wide range of players.

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On one hand, there is a belief he could develop into a superstar of Jokic’s ilk. Others see him as a solid offensive contributor and rebounder like Sabonis. That he draws comparison to Horford or Kanter speaks to the confusion of how much he can grow defensively as those two individuals are on opposite ends of the spectrum.

OKC Thunder fit:

Any team who believes Sengun will be even remotely on the same trajectory as Jokic should actively try to draft him. I’ll return to the question of whether he’ll grow into a player of Kanter or Jokic’s ilk. The reason there is room for optimism it will be the latter is his high I.Q. and the energy he exudes.

With his stock rising could Sam Presti shock and take Sengun with the sixth pick? It’s not inconceivable especially because the franchise has a very strong international scouting team.

Presti surprised everyone last year by moving up to grab Aleksej Pokusevski and always keeps his cards close to the vest — so we’ll just have to wait and see. It seems extremely unlikely he’d still be on the board at 16 but if he was OKC would be getting a steal with that pick.

As I highlighted the playoffs have demonstrated why big men are still essential and Sengun has the potential to be special. At 18, the Turkish center fits the OKC Thunder timeline and his assets marry well with the positionless strategy.