Jalen Green Surprised by Alperen Sengun’s Behavior as Rockets Star’s Lesser Known Secret Unearths

From H-Town to the Valley, Jalen Green has officially turned the page. And he did it with the flair of a certified bucket-getter who still has love for the squad he left behind. In a Players’ Tribune letter that read like a mixtape of gratitude, life lessons, and hilarious locker room memories, Green let fans in on his time in Houston, revealing more than just stats and strategy.

But it wasn’t just about the business of basketball or his hopes in Phoenix. Buried between love letters to Houston food and shout-outs to his mom was a surprising confession. One that had NBA Twitter on its toes. And it had everything to do with Alperen Sengun. Turns out, the bearded big man comes with a little mystery, and a whole lot of unexpected swagger. And while Jalen Green was Houston’s leading scorer and media darling, even he didn’t see Sengun coming with this energy.

If you were expecting Jalen Green to spend his goodbye letter naming All-Star accolades or venting about trade politics, think again. What we got instead was real, a mix of humor, emotion, and a few stories that left Rockets fans feeling like they had front-row seats to a team group chat. That’s where Alperen Sengun came in.

“I didn’t know Europeans could be so down-to-earth like that! I thought y’all were all bougie. But no, Alpy is cool as hell,” Green wrote, dropping a moment of revelation that had Rockets fans everywhere yelling “That’s my center!”

Green and Sengun came in together in 2021, two kids, two totally different backgrounds. On one mission: flip the “rebuild” narrative on its head. But while Green was racking up highlights and crossing dudes into next week, Sengun was quietly grinding, clowning in the locker room. And apparently flipping stereotypes on their heads. Green’s honest take? Total surprise.

Alpy didn’t come in with diva energy. He came in spitting Turkish rap, swearing in freshly learned English, and just being vibes. “That’s my guy though,” Green said. And it wasn’t just locker room chemistry. While fans and analysts often debated whether Sengun could be a modern NBA big man. His work ethic and spirit were never in question inside the organization. If anything, Sengun surprised more than just Jalen with his humble presence and relentless grind.

Green’s letter hinted at the chemistry behind Houston’s unexpected rise. “We were such a close group,” he wrote. “That’s why it’s so tough to even be doing a goodbye… Every guy is somebody I was close with.” But Green seemed to save special appreciation for Sengun, the 6’11″ enigma who might just be the key to Houston’s future.

The low-key legend of Alperen Sengun

While fans know Alperen Sengun for his silky footwork, elite passing, and bully-ball finishes, what they didn’t know was the cultural mashup happening behind the scenes. Jalen Green pulled the curtain back on one of his favorite memories with the big man.

“And of course, my Turkish brother, Alpy. When we first came in here as kids, I didn’t know what the hell you’d be saying half the time. We were teaching you how to swear in English, bro. Remember that? You’d be showing me all that Turkish rap, and I just couldn’t get jiggy with it. I’m sorry, bro. Y’all gotta learn to switch the flow up. Hahahaha.”

The vibe was pure comedy, a young American star trying to decode Turkish bars, while a 19-year-old from Giresun, Turkey, was trying to learn curse words from NBA rookies. This is the content we don’t get in press conferences. But underneath the jokes, there’s something deeper brewing. Sengun, fresh off his first All-Star selection, is taking steps to expand his game, most notably, his outside shooting. Though his career 3-point percentage sits at a shaky 27.2%, Rockets insiders like Kelly Iko have reported that Sengun is in the lab this summer. Working out with none other than Fred VanVleet to build confidence from deep.

The Rockets coaching staff remains committed: they want Sengun to take those open looks. With Kevin Durant now in town drawing gravity like a black hole, Sengun has more space than ever. And if he starts hitting threes at even a league-average clip? Houston becomes an offensive nightmare.