'I Feel So Much Better': Rockets' Alperen Şengün Gives Important Injury Update

Despite no update on his potential return, Houston Rockets' Alperen Şengün is doing better amid his ongoing rehab process.

Mar 6, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Rockets center Alperen Sengun (28) before the game against / Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

HOUSTON -- Houston Rockets' Alperen Şengün hopes he can rejoin the team before the end of the 2023-24 season. But overall, Şengün is happy his injury isn't as bad as he initially thought.

Şengün sustained a knee and ankle injury during the closing seconds of the Rockets' 112-104 victory over the Sacramento Kings on March 10.

He came down awkwardly on his right leg while trying to contest a shot attempt by Domantas Sabonis. He was unable to walk following the fall and exited the Golden 1 Center in a wheelchair. He finished the game with 14 points on 7 of 14 shooting, six rebounds and three steals.

Mar 6, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Rockets center Alperen Sengun (28) before the game against / Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

"We have had a lot of improvements in my knee and ankle," Şengün said. "I feel so much better than in Sacramento. But we still have to make my ankle stronger. We need to get it to where I don't feel pain.

"We have five or six games left. I want to play with my teammates. But we will see how the next few days will play out."

Before the injury, Şengün was in the midst of a career year with averages of 21.1 points, 9.3 rebounds, 5.0 assists and 1.2 steals across 63 games.

In the five days leading up to his injury, Şengün had led the Rockets to a 3-1 record while putting together a pair of his best career performances.

His best game came amid Houston's 114-101 victory over the San Antonio Spurs, where he scored a career-best 45 points against Victor Wembanyama on March 5. Twenty-four hours later, Şengün recorded his second-career triple-double of 23 points, 19 rebounds and 14 assists in a loss to the Los Angeles Clippers. 

Şengün is proud of the team's fight in his 12-game absence but wishes he could help the Rockets amid their ongoing pursuit of the Play-In Tournament.

"It has not been fun watching your teammates and friends fighting while you can't," Şengün said. "I just want to fight with them. I am sad but also happy. We have had a lot of tough games, but we did a good job."

Coach Ime Udoka has not ruled Şengün out for the remainder of the season. He says Şengün is doing "light mobility work" to keep the swelling in his ankle down. There has been no timetable for his pending return.