Rockets' Alperen Sengun Details Unique Aspect of His Game That Improved

Alperen Sengun's scoring efficiency for the Houston Rockets should improve this season.

Mar 10, 2024; Sacramento, California, USA; Houston Rockets center Alperen Sengun (28) and forward Jabari Smith Jr. (10) stand on the court during the third quarter against the Sacramento Kings at Golden 1 Center. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images / Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

The Houston Rockets are mounting for a defining season. The club extended both Alperen Sengun and Jalen Green -- two first-round picks in the 2021 NBA Draft -- as they both project to grow into stars in these next couple of seasons.

Sengun continuing to develop his game would certainly leave him as an All-Star in the league. Last season, he averaged 21.1 points per game, a 6.3 points per game leap. The 22-year-old center added 9.3 rebounds and 5.0 assists per game, impacting the game beyond his scoring.

While scoring is at the forefront of Sengun's impact, there are ways he can become more efficient. One of the best scoring big men in the NBA is Joel Embiid, who has learned the art of drawing fouls. That's one area of the game Sengun has been improving on.

On Tuesday, Sengun explained how he's improved upon "foul baiting" his defenders to earn a couple of shots at the charity stripe.

"Coach Cam taught me that move. It's hard to guard for bigs. They have long arms. It's another bag in the court for me," Sengun claimed.

Asked Alperen Sengun about his new foul baiting technique:

"Coach Cam taught me that move. It's hard to guard for bigs. They have long arms. It's another bag in the court for me."

📺 https://t.co/qJwFZ9ky5A pic.twitter.com/uE2ghQb6hY

— Jackson Gatlin (@JTGatlin) October 22, 2024

In his first season in the NBA, Sengun averaged 3.2 free throw attempts per game and that number rose to 3.8 free throw attempts in year two. Last season, the Turkish center averaged 5.6 free throw attempts per game, though his efficiency slightly dropped when shooting them.

This season, expect Sengun to shoot more free throws while converting on them at a more efficient rate as he continues to build out his game and maximize his efficiency.

A targeted, intentional approach to shooting more free throws could help Sengun provide a few more points per game, while his playmaking and rebound has taken an evident leap since he arrived in the league.

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