Calling Alperen Sengun “A Beast,” Kristaps Porzingis Analyzes Latvia’s Opening Game vs Turkey

The 2025 EuroBasket begins on Wednesday, with a horde of NBA players ready to shine on the international stage. Latvia vs. Turkey is poised to be the best game of Day 1, with the focus firmly set on Kristaps Porzingis of Latvia and Turkish star Alperen Sengun.

The Latvian in particular knows that Turkey, with the likes of Sengun, Shane Larkin, Cedi Osman, Furkan Korkmaz, and more, is a side that needs to be respected. Sengun averaged 19 points, 10 rebounds, and 4 assists per game in the 24/25 NBA regular season, which turned out to be a breakthrough campaign for him and established him as a star for the Houston Rockets.

Sengun is definitely one of the stars heading into the new season and a player to watch out for in EuroBasket. Porzingis was asked about Sengun, and without much hesitation, he praised the youngster, calling him a beast.

“He’s a beast,” Porzingis said to Eurohoops YouTube channel. “He’s a great player. He’s been getting better with each year, and we have a challenge in front of us. His passing ability, his talent offensively- we’re going to have our hands full. So, it’s going to take a team effort.” 

It was quite the praise coming from Porzingis, making it clear that he respects his competition. The Atlanta Hawks center knows that his team needs to stay focused if they want to overcome Turkey.

Even though Latvia have won four of the past five meetings against Turkey, their last matchup came over two years ago. A lot has changed since then.

Sengun has improved significantly. In 2023, he was averaging just around 15 points with a respectable 9 rebounds per game. This past season, however, he boosted his numbers to around 20 points and 10 rebounds per game. On top of that, his passing has taken a leap as well. He now averages close to 5 assists a game in the NBA.

These are things for Porzingis and Latvia to keep in mind heading into the clash. And even though experts are picking his country to overcome Turkey, with home-court advantage being a major reason for that. Latvia is one of the four hosts of the tournament alongside Cyprus, Finland, and Poland.

That said, Turkey has some recognizable faces on their side, and they could surprise if they catch fire early. But Latvia is well known for its team-oriented play, which should help them in a big way.

Porzingis certainly sounds ready and excited for the matchup. Now it’s just a matter of seeing if they can bring home the bacon and secure their first win of EuroBasket group play.