Philadelphia 76ers rookie LaBaron Philon Jr. has allowed TikTok to form his impression of Houston Rockets center Alperen Sengun.
Sengun has solidified himself as an All-Star caliber player in the NBA, although his rough 2026 Playoffs performance has raised some questions about his status as one of the elite players in the NBA.
Clearly, another one of Sengun’s doubters is Philon after the rookie made a wild statement about the Rockets center.
Philon says Rockets’ Sengun plays like he has a refrigerator on his back
In a recent interview, Philon was asked who the one player is whose ankles he wants to break in the NBA. The rookie named Sengun without hesitating and made a pretty harsh observation on his game.
“Sengun for sure. I be on TikTok a lot, and if you really be on there, they be saying he plays like he’s got a refrigerator on his back or something like that.”
Sengun’s running form became a meme among fans during the Playoffs, but that shouldn’t take away from the fact that the Turkish center averaged 20.4 points, 8.9 rebounds, and 6.2 assists last season.
Even though he struggled in the Playoffs with 20.3 points, 10.2 rebounds, and 4.7 assists, his production was the only reason the Rockets won two games in their first-round loss to the Lakers.
Philon has a lot of work to do before he can reach Sengun’s level, and he hopefully will get at least two opportunities as a rookie to back up his words against the Rockets.
Alperen Sengun named in trade rumors for the Rockets
Houston’s first-round loss to the Lakers should have been unacceptable to the franchise, given how depleted LA was for that series. The team’s failure has been attributed to Sengun, as Kevin Durant missed five games due to injury.
Sengun has flaws as a No. 1 option due to his subpar outside shooting and poor defensive skills, but he’s a gifted scorer, one of the best rebounders in the NBA, and an elite passer for his position.
While it doesn’t look like the Rockets are actively looking for Sengun trades, reports suggest that the franchise has discussed a potential trade for Jaylen Brown, which could send Sengun to the Boston Celtics.
Unless the Rockets pull off a trade like that, Sengun will likely be back for next season.
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