SUMMARY
- Alperen Sengun injured himself during a recent Rockets vs. Kings game.
- The 21-year-old has been diagnosed with a grade 3 ankle sprain.
Alperen Sengun has been having an outstanding year so far, but unfortunately players never expect to get injured until it happens. Injuries have played a major role in throwing teams off track. And we recently witnessed it happen to Joel Embiid and the Philadelphia 76ers. Sadly, the Houston Rockets aren’t on the same level as the Sixers to take such damage late in the season. Alperen has been their best player this year, making his absence even worse.
During a game against the Sacramento Kings, Sengun was paired against Domantas Sabonis. The latter worked out a fantastic defensive play that got the ball in the Kings‘ possession. While Sabonis went in for the drive to the basket, a trailing Sengun tried to block his shot from behind. Unfortunately, Sengun ended up having too much contact with Sabonis and landed awkwardly. He fell to the floor holding his knee in pain.
Alperen Sengun has been diagnosed with a grade 3 ankle sprain
Ultimately, Alperen Sengun could not get himself up. The Rockets’ medical team had to wheelchair him into the locker room to get checked. Fans and experts were convinced that Sengun had endured a severe injury. However, it was recently confirmed that he has been diagnosed with a grade 3 ankle sprain. This means that Sengun has experienced a full or partial tendon tear. Thankfully, his knee wasn’t affected as it initially seemed like that’s where the damage was.
BREAKING: Alperen Sengun is expected to miss the remainder of the season with a high ankle sprain, per @ShamsCharania. pic.twitter.com/51RCn1nbEJ
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) March 12, 2024
But the bad news is that he will miss the remainder of the season due to rehabilitation. This isn’t going to work out well for the Rockets, who heavily depend on his offensive presence. The 21-year-old averaged 21.1 points, 9.3 rebounds, and 5 assists per game this season. Alperen was also a perfect matchup for players like Anthony Davis, Nikola Jokic, and Victor Wembanyama, who dominate within the paint.
The Rockets have already made adjustments following Alperen Sengun’s departure
Alperen Sengun has been the frontrunner to win the NBA’s Most Improved Player of the Year Award this season. Unfortunately, he will not qualify for the accolade since the league requires players to appear for at least 65 games to compete for regular season awards. There are a few concerns regarding Sengun qualifying for maximum extension as well. But this injury will not affect his chances of landing a big extension deal.
The third-year player signed a 4-year $15.5 million contract in 2021. Sengun is eligible to sign a $225 million 5-year extension next season. But right now, the Rockets have to be worried about making the Play-In Tournament. They have officially replaced Sengun with Jock Landale. Houston ranks 11th in the Western Conference with a 30-35 record. The Golden State Warriors rank above them with an injured superstar of their own. They will have to make good use of their upcoming games to bring themselves to some sort of contention.
