NBA Awards Rankings: New No. 1 in Most Improved Player race

21.3 PPG | 9.3 RPG | 4.8 APG | .539 FG% | .297 3P% | .707 FT%

In what is perhaps the least surprising development of all time, Alperen Sengun's ascent happened to coincide with Stephen Silas' departure. Under new head coach Ime Udoka, Sengun has emerged as the Houston Rockets' offensive centerpiece. He's the next in line for the NBA's big man revival, bringing old-school footwork and new-school inventiveness to the offensive end.

The 'Baby Jokic' comps are unavoidable for various surface-level reasons, but Sengun has carved out his own niche in the league. He should've been an All-Star in 2024, but next season feels like a safe bet. He's easily the craftiest post-up scorer in the league, no? Jokic and Embiid are footwork savants too, but Sengun can manifest angles out of thin air. He is completely ground-bound and a tad small for his position at 6-foot-10, but Sengun will shake and shake again until his defender is leaping sideways like a cartoon.

He really doesn't get enough credit for his basketball I.Q. either. The passing is at times transcendent, and there is no shortage of praise for Sengun's flash. But there is substance, too. It takes a ton of guts to make this pass, but it also requires Sengun to read the floor several steps in advance and expertly manipulate the defense with his eyes.

He remains a relative weakness on defense, but Sengun's improvement has been meaningful on that side of the ball, too. He's far more reliable, no longer shackled by Silas' comically short leash. All he needed was the trust of his coaches to fully blossom. The Rockets' future is looking up, with Sengun planted firmly at the top of their pecking order.