2021 NBA Mock Draft — 12. Alperen Sengun, San Antonio Spurs
A Turkish league star at 18 years old, Alperen Sengun is already an established talent. The Spurs have dipped into the pool of international prospects year after year, with a generally high rate of success. Sengun has an impressive mix of throwback skill with modern flourishes, and his productivity at such a young age — against professional competition — bodes well for his NBA transition.
Sengun is a deft scorer in the post, with soft touch and the potential to expand his jumper over time. He’s also a skilled passer, with the ability to run sets at the elbow and get teammates involved. He lacks explosive athleticism, but is light on his feet, and has no shortage of polished footwork to lean on.
In addition to his upside offensively, Sengun does a lot of sound work on defense, and he’s an aggressive rebounder at 6-foot-10, 240 pounds. The Spurs are in need of a long-term solution in the middle, and there’s no better option at this point in the draft than Sengun.