Every Time Alperen Şengün Broke the Rules of Modern Centers Explained In 10 Minutes

Every Time Alperen Şengün Broke the Rules of Modern Centers Explained In 10 Minutes

The NBA has unwritten rules about what centers are supposed to do. Be big. Be athletic. Protect the rim. Don’t think too much. But here’s what nobody wants to admit. Those rules are completely outdated in the modern NBA. And one 22-year-old from Turkey has been proving it every single night for the past 4 years straight. While everyone’s obsessing over the next athletic freak who can jump out of the gym, Alperen has been quietly demolishing every conventional expectation. And the craziest part, he’s not just breaking these rules, he’s rewriting them entirely. This isn’t some feel-good underdog story. This is about a player who looked at everything the NBA told him a center should be and said, “Nah, I’m good.” And now he’s making the entire league look foolish. Every time Shang Gun steps on the court, he’s conducting a master class in why basketball IQ beats athleticism, why skill trumps size, and why the modern center blueprint might be completely wrong. But before I show you exactly how he’s dismantling these expectations, you need to understand what those rules even are. Because once you see what he’s doing differently, you’ll never watch basketball the same way again. So, buckle up because we’re about to break down every single way this Turkish wizard has been making the entire league look foolish. Rule number one, modern centers don’t run point. Let’s start with the most obvious rule ShenGun breaks every single night. Modern centers aren’t supposed to be primary playmakers. Sure, they can make the occasional pass out of a double team, but running an offense, that’s for point guards. Shenan looked at that rule and laughed. Watch any Rockets game and you’ll see something that shouldn’t exist. A center who initiates offense from the perimeter, calls plays, and orchestrates an entire system. Last season, Shenhen averaged 5.0 assists per game as a center. That doesn’t sound crazy until you realize he’s doing it while also averaging 21 points and nine rebounds. He’s not just a big man who can pass. He’s a legitimate floor general who happens to be 6’11. But here’s what makes it even more ridiculous. His assist to turnover ratio. Most centers who try to handle the ball turn it over constantly because they’re not supposed to be doing it. Shenun, he takes care of the ball better than most point guards. The Houston Rockets have literally built their offense around a center who thinks he’s Magic Johnson. And somehow it works. But that’s that’s just the beginning. Rule number two, centers should stay in the paint. Here’s another sacred rule of modern basketball. Big men should know their place. Stay near the basket, set screens, roll to the rim, and don’t venture too far from home. Shenhen took one look at that rule and decided it was more of a suggestion. This man operates from everywhere on the court like he’s got a GPS system in his brain. He’ll bring the ball up court, run a pick and roll from 25 ft out, then slip to the corner for a three-pointer. When Shenhen steps out to the perimeter, it forces opposing centers to make an impossible choice. Follow him out and leave the paint wide open or stay home and give him an uncontested look from deep. Most centers who try to expand their range become one-dimensional. Shenhen seamlessly flows between all areas of the court within the same possession. He’ll start a play at the three-point line, drive to the elbow, make a pass to the corner, get the ball back, and finish with a hook shot in the post, all in about 8 seconds. The spacing he creates isn’t just about his shooting. It’s about his movement and basketball IQ. Defenses can’t just park a big man in the paint when Shenun is on the court because they never know where he’s going to pop up next. Rule number three, big men don’t make highlight passes. Traditional centers make simple passes, outlet passes after rebounds, dump offs to cutters, maybe a kick out to an open shooter if they are feeling fancy. They don’t make the kind of passes that end up on Sports Center. Shenhen apparently never got that memo. This man throws passes that would make Chris Paul jealous. No look dimes, behind the back feeds, crosscourt lasers that thread through three defenders. He’s got the full arsenal. But here’s what separates him from other big men who try to get cute with their passing. His passes actually work. He’s not throwing flashy passes just to show off. He’s making the right read every single time. Watch his highlights and you’ll see passes that shouldn’t be possible from a center. He’ll catch the ball in the post, immediately recognize a double team coming and fire a no-look pass to the opposite corner before the help defender even gets there. He’s not just reacting to what he sees, he’s anticipating what’s about to happen. The Rockets offense runs through Shenun’s passing because he sees things that other players miss. When he gets the ball, teammates start moving because they know he’s going to find them in spots they didn’t even know they could get to. Rule number four, centers can’t create their own shot. Modern centers are supposed to be finishers, not creators. They catch lobs. They finish pick and rolls. They clean up offensive rebounds. They don’t create their own offense from scratch. Shangun looked at that rule and decided to become the most creative shot creator at his position since Hakee Oluan. This man has moves in the post that would make Tim Duncan proud, but he’s also pulling up for step back threes and driving from the perimeter like he’s a guard. His footwork in the post is absolutely ridiculous. He’s got the full bag, drop steps, spin moves, up and unders, hook shots with either hand. But what makes him special is how he combines that traditional post game with modern perimeter skills. He’ll start a possession by posting up, feel the defense, then suddenly step out for a three-pointer. Or he’ll catch the ball at the three-point line, drive past his defender, and finish with a soft touch around the rim. He’s creating offense from positions and situations that most centers never even attempt. The craziest part is his efficiency. Despite taking difficult shots and creating most of his own offense, he’s shooting over 50% from the field. He’s not just breaking rules. He’s proving that breaking them can actually make you more effective. Rule number five, big men don’t have court vision. Traditional centers see the court in straight lines. Pass to the open man. Make the simple play. Don’t try to be too clever. Court vision is for point guards and playmakers, not for guys who are supposed to be camping in the paint. Shenhen’s court vision is so advanced, it’s almost unfair. He sees passing lanes that don’t exist yet. He anticipates where teammates are going to be before they know it themselves. He makes reads that most point guards would be proud of. But it’s not just about seeing the court. It’s about processing information faster than anyone else. While other players are still figuring out what the defense is doing, Shangun has already identified the weakness and exploited it. Watch him operate from the high post and you’ll see something magical. He’ll catch the ball, immediately scan the entire court, identify the best option, and deliver a perfect pass all in about 2 seconds. He’s not just making good passes. He’s making the optimal pass every single time. The Rocket’s entire offensive system is built around Shenun’s ability to process information and make quick decisions. When he touches the ball, good things happen because he sees opportunities that other players miss. Rule number six, centers should be one-dimensional. The modern NBA loves specialists. Centers who protect the rim, centers who stretch the floor, centers who roll hard to the basket. Pick one thing, do it well, and don’t try to be something you’re not. Shenhen said, “Why not all of the above?” This man is the Swiss Army knife of basketball players. He can post up. He can shoot threes. He can handle the ball. He can facilitate. He can defend multiple positions. He’s not just breaking one rule. He’s breaking all of them simultaneously. But here’s what makes him truly special. He doesn’t just do multiple things. He does them all at an elite level. He’s not a jack of all trades, master of none. He’s a master of multiple trades who happens to be 6’11. His versatility creates matchup nightmares for opposing teams. How do you game plan for a player who can beat you in completely different ways depending on what you take away? If you focus on his post game, he’ll step out and shoot threes. If you run him off the three-point line, he’ll drive past you. If you send help, he’ll find the open man. The Jokic comparison. Everyone wants to compare Shenun to Nicola Joic. And it’s easy to see why. Both are skilled big men who can pass. Both have high basketball IQs. Both break traditional center rules. But the comparison isn’t really fair to either player. Jookic is a three-time MVP who’s already established himself as one of the greatest players ever. ShenGun is a 22-year-old who’s still developing. Comparing them now is like comparing a finished masterpiece to a work in progress. But here’s what’s interesting. ShenGun might actually be ahead of where Joic was at the same age. At 22, Joic was averaging 16 points and 10 rebounds. Shenun is averaging 21 points, nine rebounds, and five assists while being the focal point of his team’s offense. The styles are different, too. Yokic is more methodical and calculated. Shenhen is more improvisational and creative. Both approaches work, but they’re not the same thing. What they share is the ability to see the game differently than everyone else. They both understand that basketball is a thinking man’s game, and they both use their brains to overcome physical limitations. The future of the position. Shangun isn’t just breaking rules. He’s showing that those rules might have been wrong in the first place. The idea that centers need to be athletic freaks who can only do one or two things well is being challenged every night. His success is going to influence how teams draft and develop big men going forward. Front officers are going to start looking for skill and basketball IQ rather than just size and athleticism. The next generation of centers is going to grow up watching Shangon and thinking, “I can do that, too.” We’re going to see more big men who can handle the ball, make plays, and think the game at a high level. The position is evolving and ShenGun is leading that evolution. He’s proving that the most important tool a center can have isn’t his vertical leap or his wingspan. It’s his brain. Every time Alpern Shangun steps on the court, he’s not just playing basketball. He’s rewriting the rules of what’s possible. And that’s exactly why he’s one of the most fascinating player in the NBA today. If you want to see more breakdowns of players who are changing the game, hit that subscribe button and let me know in the comments who’s the next player breaking the rules that we should

Every Time Alperen Şengün Broke the Rules of Modern Centers Explained In 10 Minutes. In a league obsessed with vertical spacing and rim-running bigs, Alperen Şengün just keeps doing things his way.

In just 10 minutes, we break down every moment he defied the modern NBA blueprint—outthinking defenders, dropping dimes like a point guard, and making the league’s best bigs look foolish.

This isn’t your typical center. This is Alperen Şengün — and he’s rewriting the rules.

#alperenşengün #NBACenters #houstonrockets #nba2025 #NBAHighlights #basketballiq #ModernNBA #nbaprospects #basketballbreakdown #nbayoutuber #NikolaJokicVibes #nba #basketball #basketballplayer #nbabasketball #houstonrockets #rockets #timduncan #shaquilleoneal #yanghansen #hansenyang #sports #hoops #alperensengun #türkiye #nbahighlights