Former NBA and Turkiye's national team guard Shane Larkin says the Houston Rockets superstar Alperen Sengun is the best center he's played with throughout his career.
Although Shane Larkin hasn't played in the NBA since the 2017-18 season, he has built a reputation as an elite guard in Europe.
Now, the 32-year-old returns to represent Turkiye as a naturalized player in the upcoming EuroBasket tournament in Riga, Latvia.
From Rookie to All-Star: Sengun's Rise in 3 Years
Alongside him, there will also be the biggest Turkiye star, Alperen Sengun, for whom it will be his second tournament.
Back in 2022, Sengun was coming off his rookie season with the Houston Rockets. This time, he's one of the best centers in the NBA with an All-Star selection under his belt.
"I think we all can see it," Larkin told BasketNews in Riga about Sengun's improvement over the years. "Alpi has grown into an NBA All-Star, one of the best players in the NBA, and he has the talent to continue to grow."
"When he first came here, he was a rookie, like you said, and there were a lot of things that he needed to work on to become more efficient. And I think with his style and the way that he's played in the NBA and the way they've allowed him to make mistakes in order to take those steps have been important for him. I think the sky's the limit," Larkin added.
Room for Further Alperen Sengun's Growth
However, the Anadolu Efes Istanbul star believes that even at this point, the 23-year-old Sengun has room for improvement.
"I think there are still many things that he can add to his game to make him even better, one of the Top 10 players in the NBA just because of his raw skills and everything he can do with the ball," Larkin argued.
"So I think this is a great tournament for him to continue to take steps in that direction and play in a different kind of style of basketball. And I'm just excited to be able to play with him, excited to see how he continues to grow," he added.
Larkin Names Sengun as the Best Center He's Played With
After being asked whether he would consider Sengun as the best center he's ever played with, Larkin thought for almost half a minute.
And for good reason, given that a guy named Dirk Nowitzki was Larkin's teammate in the 2013-14 season.
Shane Larkin in Dallas Mavericks
Shane Larkin in Dallas Mavericks
Credit USA Today Sports-Scanpix
"I've been playing a long time, man. That's a tough question," Larkin told BasketNews after giving a thought. "But I mean, I think he's the only NBA center that I played with who was an All-Star. So, if you count Dirk as a fourth, obviously, he can't really go against that."
Nevertheless, Sengun took the edge at the end.
"But yeah, I would say thus far he's probably the best center that I've played with," Larkin concluded.
Edvinas Jablonskis
Edvinas Jablonskis began his basketball coverage career in 2017. Starting as a Daily Writer for BasketNews.lt, he steadily climbed the ranks and became a Daily Editor for BasketNews.com in 2021, a position he continues to hold. Over the years, Jablonskis has covered multiple EuroLeague Final Fours and international tournaments, including the FIBA EuroBasket, FIBA Basketball World Cup, and FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament.
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