Alperen Şengün

Alperen Şengün is here to remind us that all that matters is the ball going into the basket, not how it looks. Although this was not how the Houston Rockets second-year center drew it up, it’s the result that matters as Şengün scoops up a loose ball against the Chicago Bulls and motors the other way. As Şengün crosses the foul line he takes flight for a hopeful throwdown, only to come up short — and still see the ball bounce high off the rim and into the bucket. Şengün’s lucky bounce — as well as his 25 points, 11 rebounds, six assists and two blocks — helped his squad secure a 133-118 road win on December 26, 2022.