4IntermediateGeneralSports

Marcus Smart Calls Alperen Şengün an All-Star Player

Lakers guard Marcus Smart praised Houston Rockets center Alperen Şengün after their Game 5 playoff loss. Smart called the young Turkish star an All-Star caliber player. Şengün's strong play has helped the Rockets fight back in the series.

2 min readLevel 4April 30, 2026

By Flalingo Editorial Team

Vocabulary

Study these words before reading the article. Click the audio button to hear pronunciation.

praise

/preɪz/

verb

To say good things about someone because they did well

“The coach praised the player for his excellent performance.”

caliber

/ˈkælɪbər/

noun

The level of quality or ability that someone or something has

“She is a player of the highest caliber in the league.”

opponent

/əˈpoʊnənt/

noun

A person or team that you compete against in a game or sport

“The team studied their opponent carefully before the big game.”

impressive

/ɪmˈprɛsɪv/

adjective

Something that makes you feel admiration because it is very good or skillful

“Her impressive speech made everyone in the room pay attention.”

pressure

/ˈprɛʃər/

noun

A feeling of stress or difficulty caused by a challenging situation

“He performed well even under great pressure from the other team.”

historic

/hɪˈstɔːrɪk/

adjective

Very important or famous in history; something that has never happened before

“The team is trying to make a historic comeback in the series.”

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Article

Click on any underlined word to see its definition. Highlighted words are from the vocabulary section.

Alperen Şengün is earning respect from opponents in the NBA. After the Lakers lost Game 5 to the Rockets, Marcus Smart praised him. Smart called Şengün an All-Star caliber player. The Rockets won 99-93 to cut the series to 3-2. This was a big moment for the young Turkish center.

Smart talked about Şengün's smart decisions on the court. He said Şengün made great reads during the game. The Lakers tried to pressure him with double teams. However, Şengün found his teammates and finished with eight assists. Smart admitted they knew he could make the right plays.

Şengün has been impressive all season long. He averaged about 21 points and 9 rebounds per game. He was named an NBA All-Star for the second time. He became the first Turkish player to earn that honor twice. Kevin Durant has missed several games with an injury. Without Durant, Şengün has carried the team's offense.

Şengün was born in Giresun, Turkey, in 2002. He joined the NBA in 2021 as the 16th pick. Now at 23, he is one of the league's best centers. Many stars, including Kevin Durant, have praised his talent. If the Rockets keep fighting, Şengün might lead a historic comeback.

Comprehension Quiz

Test your understanding of the article with these multiple-choice questions.

1
Who praised Alperen Şengün after Game 5?
2
What was the result of Game 5?
3
How many times has Şengün been named an NBA All-Star?
4
Why did Şengün need to carry the team's offense?
5
Where was Alperen Şengün born?

Discussion

Answer these comprehension questions about the article.

1
What did Marcus Smart say about Alperen Şengün after Game 5?
2
How many assists did Şengün have in the game against the Lakers?
3
What was the final score of Game 5 between the Rockets and Lakers?
4
How many times has Şengün been named an NBA All-Star?
5
Why has Şengün needed to carry the Rockets' offense recently?

Further Discussion

Share your opinions on these open-ended questions.

1
Have you ever received praise from someone you did not expect? How did it feel?
2
What do you think makes a great team player in any sport?
3
Do you follow basketball or any other sport? What do you enjoy about it?
4
Have you ever had to perform well under pressure? What happened?
5
What do you think about young athletes who become stars at a very early age?