The Houston Rockets have prided themselves on team success and having multiple players able to take over the game at any time. The core of Alperen Sengun, Fred VanVleet, Jalen Green, and others are the reason Houston is 22-12, good for a top-four spot in the Western Conference.

However, the franchise star of the Rockets has undoubtedly been Sengun this season. The Turkish center, drafted in 2021 alongside Green, has emerged as an All-Star candidate but has also been recognized as a potential candidate for the league MVP, according to the latest ladder from NBA.com’s Shaun Powell.

Sengun ranked 10th on the ladder, averaging 19.1 points, 10.7 rebounds, 5.1 assists, and 1.3 steals per game. He’s in company with elite NBA talent such as Anthony Davis, Donovan Mitchell, and Karl-Anthony Towns.

Players under Sengun include Jalen Brunson, Tyler Herro, and LeBron James. The 22-year-old’s scoring output isn’t as prominent as last season (21.1 points per game), but all other numbers have improved, along with Houston’s success as a team. The Rockets finished 41-41 last season, which was one spot out of the Play-In Tournament. This year, they’re looking like an established playoff team.

The biggest case for the Rockets’ star is his team success combined with his all-around abilities. He isn’t a 30-points-per-game scorer, but he’s averaging a double-double to go along with 5-plus assists per night as a center. That’s enough for Sengun to crack the top ten, and if Houston continues to win and climb the standings, he could as well on the MVP ladder.

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