The NBA anonymous player poll might've gotten it right this year

TL;DR

Alperen Sengun has been voted the NBA's most overrated player in an anonymous poll, following a disappointing playoff performance. This comes after Tyrese Haliburton was similarly labeled last year, only to prove critics wrong shortly after.

Key points

Alperen Sengun voted NBA's most overrated player
Tyrese Haliburton previously labeled overrated
Haliburton had a strong playoff run after the vote
Sengun scored under 20 points in four playoff games
Rockets upset in first round two years in a row

Houston RocketsLos Angeles Lakers

Tyrese Haliburton made a fool of his NBA peers a year ago.

In April 2025, an anonymous player poll by The Athletic showed he was voted as the league's most overrated player. By that June, he was one win away from winning an NBA championship, tearing his Achilles in Game 7 after one of the most impressive playoff runs in recent memory.

The players were wrong.

This year, however, they might be closer to getting it right after voting Houston Rockets center Alperen Sengun as the league's most overrated player. And we can use the playoffs as a good gauge of their judgement in the same way we used last postseason to determine they were wrong about Haliburton. Because instead of stepping up as Houston's offensive leader with Kevin Durant out, Sengun scored fewer than 20 points in four of those five games against the Lakers, including the last three.

Houston has now been upset in the first round of the playoffs in two straight years under his watch.

And if that isn't reason enough, Sengun occasionally being referred to as "Baby Jokic" should be proof enough of him being overrated. Because while he certainly has some bright moments, and his talent is undeniable, he hasn't come close to reaching the level of Jokic. Clearly, players think it's time to pump the brakes on that hype.

But they weren't all right. Rudy Gobert tied with Trae Young as the second-most overrated player, which proves this poll was conducted before his masterful job against Jokic in the playoffs. And Karl-Anthony Towns being voted fourth-most overrated feels a little off too. as the NBA's most underrated player was a good call, though.

Q&A

Why was Alperen Sengun voted the most overrated player in the NBA?

Alperen Sengun was voted the most overrated player due to his underwhelming performance in the playoffs, where he scored fewer than 20 points in four out of five games.

What happened to Tyrese Haliburton after being called overrated?

Tyrese Haliburton, voted the most overrated player last year, went on to have an impressive playoff run, nearly winning an NBA championship before suffering an injury.

How did the Houston Rockets perform in the playoffs under Sengun's leadership?

The Houston Rockets were upset in the first round of the playoffs for two consecutive years while Alperen Sengun was leading the team.

What does the anonymous player poll reveal about NBA players' perceptions?

The anonymous player poll reflects the perceptions of NBA players regarding their peers, indicating that they may have misjudged Haliburton last year but are now more aligned in their assessment of Sengun.