Alperen Sengun was one of three finalists for the NBA’s 2023-24 Most Improved Player award, joining Philadelphia 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey and Chicago Bulls guard Coby White.
But as announced Tuesday, the third-year Houston Rockets center was not the award’s winner. That honor went to Maxey, whose Sixers (47-35) are participating in the 2024 playoffs.
Sengun’s season ended prematurely on March 10, when he suffered a severe ankle sprain. Between his ensuing 18-game absence and Houston (41-41) missing postseason play in the Western Conference, that made it tough for Sengun to earn an outright win — particularly versus Maxey, whose team had a higher profile.
Nonetheless, it was still an outstanding season for the 21-year-old Turkish big man, who remains one of the organizational focal points for the Rockets as they move forward. On a per-game average basis, Sengun led Houston in scoring (21.1 points) and rebounds (9.3) while shooting 53.7%, a team-high among rotation players.
Sengun will again slide in as Houston’s starting center when 2024-25 training camps open in late September or early October.
Philadelphia 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey is the recipient of the George Mikan Trophy as the 2023-24 Kia NBA Most Improved Player. pic.twitter.com/3tvyCiPHma
— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) April 23, 2024
