'I Really Like This Guy!' Shaq Praises Rockets' Sengun

On TNT, Shaquille O'Neal said that Alperen Sengun reminds him of Pau Gasol.

In the modern NBA, fluid big men who can put the ball on the floor and step outside of the paint are some of the most revered players in the league. Dirk Nowitzki and Kevin Garnett laid the foundation for Nikola Jokic, Joel Embiid, and now Houston Rockets' Alperen Sengun. 

A traditional big man who put his back to the basket and dominated almost exclusively inside the paint, Shaquille O'Neal has been a longtime fan of old-school, dominating centers. 

Rockets' Alperen Sengun scores against the Pacers / Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports

However, Sengun has piqued Shaq's interest, and the NBA legend was singing the praises of one of the NBA's brightest young centers.

"You know I like a big man with feetwork. A guy that does it all. You know, he would be considered a high-value 'other,'" Shaq said on TNT's halftime show. "He does all the little things."

Sengun has emerged as Houston's best player this season, despite playing next to two top-three picks in Jalen Green and Jabari Smith Jr. While neither of them is the fringe All-Star that Sengun is, it's safe to say that there is a lot of talent in Houston's young core, especially when factoring in rookies Cam Whitmore and Amen Thompson.

Shaq, however, wants to see Sengun impact winning now. 

"He reminds me of a young Pau Gasol when he first came in, really fundamentally sound...I really like this guy, I would like to see him on a better team," continued O'Neal. "If he was on like an LA or like a team that has a lot of talent around him, they would definitely do well."

In some ways, Shaq is right. Adding a point center to the Lakers or Clippers would only set their stars up for more success. In his current form, Sengun is not the first option on a top-tier team, but his rapid improvement this season suggests that he could wind up comparable to Nikola Jokic. 

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For the time being, Houston is not in a rush to win games, and Sengun will continue to grow with the Rockets, as he is one of the NBA's untouchable players. Sorry, Shaq, but not everyone ends up playing under the Hollywood lights like you. Some teams build, like Houston slowly is working on.