Alperen Sengun says the mental toll of social media during difficult stretches with the Houston Rockets ultimately led him to delete his X (formerly Twitter) account.
Speaking about his decision, the two-time All-Star described how outside criticism intensified after losses, creating narratives that he felt were damaging to both himself and the team.
“When we lost games, everyone looking from the outside tried to attack us and find any small thing they could pick on,” Sengun said, via ClutchPoints. “They tried to pit us against each other. Attacking me through the coach. Because there are so many people out there who want to see us fail, you know? That’s actually why I deleted Twitter. After a certain point, I said, ‘What a dangerous place this is.’ It really drains a person mentally. It makes you second-guess and think, ‘Could something that isn’t real actually be true?’ Such wild things came out.”
Sengun’s comments offer insight into the pressure NBA players face as social media discussions increasingly shape public narratives. Rather than engaging with criticism online, the 23-year-old decided stepping away was the healthiest option.
The Turkish center also discussed the relationship he has with his supporters, emphasizing that he prefers accountability instead of shifting blame when things go wrong.
“My fans will never view me negatively. I notice this. Like, there are areas where I perform poorly, and I see that myself. But… they’ll always blame others. I’m not that kind of person, though. I always hold myself accountable.”
Sengun backed up that mindset with another productive campaign in 2025-26. He averaged 20.4 points, 8.9 rebounds, 6.2 assists, 1.2 steals and 1.1 blocks while shooting 51.9% from the field across 72 games, earning his second consecutive NBA All-Star selection.
Houston finished the regular season 52-30, good for fifth place in the Western Conference behind the Oklahoma City Thunder, San Antonio Spurs, Denver Nuggets and Los Angeles Lakers. The Rockets featured a balanced core led by Kevin Durant, who averaged a team-high 26.0 points, while Sengun served as the offense’s primary playmaking big man alongside Amen Thompson, who contributed 18.3 points, 7.8 rebounds and 5.3 assists.
Despite their successful regular season, Houston’s postseason ended in the first round. The Lakers eliminated the Rockets in six games after winning the series 4-2, closing it out with a 98-78 victory in Game 6. Houston avoided a sweep by winning Games 4 and 5 but could not overcome an early 3-0 series deficit.
Since arriving in the NBA as the 16th overall pick in 2021, Sengun has developed into one of the league’s most versatile centers. Across five seasons, he has appeared in 358 games and owns career averages of 16.9 points, 8.6 rebounds and 4.5 assists while shooting 51.8% from the field.
