Nikola Jokic’s Teammate Warns Alperen Sengun and Co After Turkey Star’s Bold Claim

There was something different in the air that night in Riga. A rising power in European basketball had just shaken the group stage of EuroBasket 2025, and the basketball world took notice of Turkiye beating Serbia, but moreover of who led the charge. Alperen Sengun, long dubbed “Baby Jokic,” didn’t just live up to the nickname. He blew it up. 

Against Nikola Jokic and a battle-tested Serbia squad, the Houston Rockets All-Star didn’t blink. He went toe-to-toe with the former NBA MVP and walked off the court with 28 points, 13 rebounds, and 8 assists in a 95-90 statement win that sent Turkiye to the top of Group A. But before Turkey even had time to celebrate, a message came, simple but powerful, from the heart of the Serbian locker room.

“Proud of you! Turkey, see you later. 🇷🇸🏀,” Bogdan Bogdanovic responded after the buzzer. Though sidelined with a hamstring injury, the Serbian captain is still very much part of this tournament spiritually, emotionally, and, as this message made clear, competitively. Bogdanovic didn’t offer excuses. He offered a warning. For Serbia, this isn’t over. 

Serbia entered the game undefeated, cruising through, they were still considered medal favorites, featuring an imposing frontcourt with Jokic, Nikola Milutinov, and Nikola Jovic the triple-XL lineup. But Turkiye? They weren’t supposed to go 5-0 in a group that included Serbia, Latvia, and Czechia. And they sure weren’t supposed to outplay Jokic in the clutch. 

Yet, that’s exactly what happened. In the game’s final minute, Alperen Sengun took over. First, he isolated against Jokic, drew a foul, and calmly knocked down two free throws. Then, on the next defensive possession, he stripped Marko Guduric and secured the win with another pair at the line. Jokic recorded 22 points, nine rebounds, and only four assists, compared to Sengun’s stat line.

Turkiye may have won the battle, but Bogdan made it clear that the war for EuroBasket supremacy is still wide open. And if a rematch comes, Jokic and his squad will be ready. Serbia will now face Finland in the Round of 16. Turkiye gets Sweden. Both games are scheduled for Saturday. But with a potential rematch only possible in the final. Knowing Bogdanovic, that “see you later” was a promise. One that could echo loudest if Turkiye and Serbia meet again… possibly in the final.

Larkin declares Sengun has outgrown his tag

After all the post-game adrenaline settled, it was Shane Larkin, Sengun’s teammate on the Turkish national team, who offered the most compelling take of the night and maybe the tournament. “I mean, that’s a challenging question to answer,” Larkin said at the post-game press conference when asked about Sengun still being called “Baby Jokic.” “I don’t think he would want that nickname…Alperen’s a very confident kid. He has a very high level of basketball skill and a very high level of talent.” Larkin wasn’t just praising a teammate. He was making a declaration.

When Larkin said, “I don’t think he is anywhere near his ceiling,” it was a reminder that what we’re seeing now is only the beginning of what Sengun can become. His All-Star season in the NBA was a milestone, but not the destination. Although his early years were fit for the “Baby Jokic” nickname, because of his obvious stylistic similarities between Sengun and the Denver Nuggets‘ three-time MVP, both are skilled passing big men who can run an offense like a point guard.

But that nickname, once flattering, is now outdated. As Larkin put it, “I think he’s proving during this tournament that he is ready to take the next step.” And that next step is about defining his own legacy. “The sky’s the limit for him,” Larkin has laid out a challenge to everyone watching: stop looking at Sengun through the lens of someone else’s game. He’s outgrown the “Baby Jokic” tag, not because Jokic is any less great, but because Sengun has become something different. 

Through five EuroBasket games, Sengun has averaged 21.6 points, 9.6 rebounds, and 6.8 assists per game, shooting with elite efficiency and commanding the Turkish offense like a veteran floor general. Against Serbia, in the highest-pressure game of the group, he was the most dominant player on the floor, even with Jokic opposite him.

From drawing the foul on Jokic in the final minute to stripping Marko Guduric and sealing the win with clutch free throws, Sengun controlled the closing moments. Even FIBA leaned into it, posting, “Not Baby Jokic. Call him Daddy Sengun.” It was the moment basketball fans felt the shift. Sengun more than a future piece. He’s here, now and he’s writing his own legacy.

For Turkiye, the win was historic. A 5-0 sweep through Group A, with wins over Latvia, Czechia, Portugal, Estonia, and now Serbia. Entering the Round of 16 with confidence sky-high and their “Big Three” of Sengun, Shane Larkin, and Cedi Osman firing on all cylinders. Coach Ergin Ataman, who designed the game plan that neutralized Jokic and unleashed Sengun, knows what’s at stake. After the game, his words were clear, “I’ll raise these fists again the day we win a medal.” This is a team that believes it can win the whole thing.