Turkish Prospects

[Toruko]

Turkish basketball urgently needs to break free from its obsession with medals in youth tournaments. Despite winning numerous medals in youth tournaments over the years, it hasn't made us an elite country in player development. Let's face it, the reasons behind the medals were not our extensive talent pool of players but rather longer training camps compared to other teams, more serious preparation and situations like players being overused by playing for multiple youth NT teams during one summer. Forcing players who haven't proven themselves at these levels into the youth NT teams is simply a terrible decision. Serious basketball nations don't include their elite prospects in U-20 tournaments (You can't see any elite French talent in U-20 level simply), yet due to the flawed mindset within the federation that wants to showcase everything as rosy through youth medals, we were compelled to include our elite prospects. The age range of 19-20 is crucial for players transitioning from youth to senior levels, so it's better for players to spend their summers on individual preparation, which yields better long-term results. Therefore, we need to break free from this mentality and prioritize the individual preparations of the leading players of each generation over meaningless (let's say) U-20 championship successes.

It's obvious that the cumulative talent pool of the '06-'08 generations is weaker compared to previous ones, but this doesn't mean much. In previous generations, we could achieve good results with 12 out of 10 players being 7, but none being 9, yet this didn't matter at the senior level. In recent generations, despite having many mediocre players, in each generation, there's at least one player who is a 9 out of 10 and holds serious promise as a leader for the future. I believe that's what matters. Of course, we'd like to have a broad player pool, but unfortunately, despite our potential, the administrative and sporting infrastructure in our country is lacking. TBF is poorly managed, there has been an unresolved issue for years regarding the transition of young players to the senior level, there hasn't been a club focused on player development since Banvit, basketball education in youth academies is outdated, talent in Anatolia isn't scouted well enough, and basketball is heavily concentrated in Istanbul. These are all deep issues on their own, but when combined, it's no surprise to see the state of basketball in our country.

The NT for the next 15 years is ready. We just need to find one or two solid play makers and there is talent. Aiming for the top level is good though since we have the highest potential in european basketball.

[Straight forward]

Turkish basketball urgently needs to break free from its obsession with medals in youth tournaments. Despite winning numerous medals in youth tournaments over the years, it hasn't made us an elite country in player development. Let's face it, the reasons behind the medals were not our extensive talent pool of players but rather longer training camps compared to other teams, more serious preparation and situations like players being overused by playing for multiple youth NT teams during one summer. Forcing players who haven't proven themselves at these levels into the youth NT teams is simply a terrible decision. Serious basketball nations don't include their elite prospects in U-20 tournaments (You can't see any elite French talent in U-20 level simply), yet due to the flawed mindset within the federation that wants to showcase everything as rosy through youth medals, we were compelled to include our elite prospects. The age range of 19-20 is crucial for players transitioning from youth to senior levels, so it's better for players to spend their summers on individual preparation, which yields better long-term results. Therefore, we need to break free from this mentality and prioritize the individual preparations of the leading players of each generation over meaningless (let's say) U-20 championship successes.

It's obvious that the cumulative talent pool of the '06-'08 generations is weaker compared to previous ones, but this doesn't mean much. In previous generations, we could achieve good results with 12 out of 10 players being 7, but none being 9, yet this didn't matter at the senior level. In recent generations, despite having many mediocre players, in each generation, there's at least one player who is a 9 out of 10 and holds serious promise as a leader for the future. I believe that's what matters. Of course, we'd like to have a broad player pool, but unfortunately, despite our potential, the administrative and sporting infrastructure in our country is lacking. TBF is poorly managed, there has been an unresolved issue for years regarding the transition of young players to the senior level, there hasn't been a club focused on player development since Banvit, basketball education in youth academies is outdated, talent in Anatolia isn't scouted well enough, and basketball is heavily concentrated in Istanbul. These are all deep issues on their own, but when combined, it's no surprise to see the state of basketball in our country.

I'm fully convinced that talent comes in random ways. You can't control this process. You can make whatever decisions of youth basketball infrastructure and tactics wise, it can be ideal, but talents as Sengun or Turkoglu won't come. And you can have them from nothing (like Siskauskas came from the street literally and he played very high level being 19-20yo, despite missing all schools and all youth NTs). The thing is, in some stretches you have more talent, in others less. And you can't fully explain it. Talent either comes or not.

Look at Spanish NT. They did get away with a fluke win in 2022, but they won't be able to keep up with extremely talented Pau's and Navarro generation. 2020 OG showed that they are only 6. In 2023 WC they blew it and that's the reality. They don't have so many talent as they used to. And Spain has by far the best basketball school in Europe right now. It's not even close. Maybe in 90s Yugoslavia was the best school, but now it's by far most advanced school. They are best coached, developed and their BB style is most universal and best contemporary basketball. Yet, they don't have next PAU at the moment and their talent level has dropped. One may emerge soon (Gonzalez, Nunez, Baba Miller or others), but I don't see it and it will have the price. They won't be snatching medal after medal as they did with PAU. Previously Spain was medaling in 2008, 2012, 2016 and that was the ultimate prove as OG is the highest stage.

It's good idea to have good basketball school, it's important, but at the end of the day it is about talent. I doubt Argentina has great school, but they happen to have Manu, Nacioni, Scola, Oberto, Prigioni playing in the same gen and they were the best NT in the world at some point. Now they have one serious player Campazzo and it's over.

[Straight forward]

The NT for the next 15 years is ready. We just need to find one or two solid play makers and there is talent. Aiming for the top level is good though since we have the highest potential in european basketball.

That just is of the size of universe. You either get your Marciulionis, Manu, Parker, Teodosic, P. Mills (your ultimate lead guard, game changer) or you don't.

[Camoka]

Adem Bona will likely declare NBA draft. There is nothing he can do in UCLA anymore. Such a ugly game plan, no IQ basketball. I hope Buyuktuncel also comes back to Europe or will declare draft after a good season.

Alperen, Ercan, Tarık, Onuralp took their next step and Konan for his situation. Now, we have bunch of players who can compete in big stage. Next step will come from Bona, Buyuktuncel, Tunca, Ustun. (Maybe Dogan, Demirel and Yigitoglu). Tunca needs to go somewhere he can play not BGL, and also his physical development is crucial.

For Euro2025, we can expect some roster like that;

Sengun - Yurtseven
Osmani - Bona - Konan
Osman - Biberovic - Buyuktuncel
Bitim - Korkmaz
Sipahi - Tunca

Maybe another guard for the place of Buyuktuncel.

[Toruko]

Adem Bona will likely declare NBA draft. There is nothing he can do in UCLA anymore. Such a ugly game plan, no IQ basketball. I hope Buyuktuncel also comes back to Europe or will declare draft after a good season.

Alperen, Ercan, Tarık, Onuralp took their next step and Konan for his situation. Now, we have bunch of players who can compete in big stage. Next step will come from Bona, Buyuktuncel, Tunca, Ustun. (Maybe Dogan, Demirel and Yigitoglu). Tunca needs to go somewhere he can play not BGL, and also his physical development is crucial.

For Euro2025, we can expect some roster like that;

Sengun - Yurtseven
Osmani - Bona - Konan
Osman - Biberovic - Buyuktuncel
Bitim - Korkmaz
Sipahi - Tunca

Maybe another guard for the place of Buyuktuncel.

I like your team, I really do but some names are just not realistic enough for Eurobasket 2025.

First the case of Biberovic is not clear enough. As far as I know the federation is trying to use him as a non naturalized player. If they can do it they will go for a game changing American PG. Tunca btw is by far not ready. Konan is a good defender but do or die games are different level. I cant imagine him being ahead of a Kabaca. The question of the need must be adressed since Buyuktuncel is there and he should be on the roster.

We need two things to be successful:

1. Wing defense
2. Shooting

And thats our main issue. We dont have many guys who can defend on high level and stretch the floor for Sengun. Sipahi can help us a lot but we dont have a second guard who could create sufficiently.

[Camoka]

Biberovic played two horrible games. He looked like he does not belong to the playoffs. I expected him some shade of Bogdanovic but he played even worse than he played against CSKA few years ago. In the national team period, he showed us that he can do better job. Hope he finds his rythem and play better in the home court games.

[TurkfromGermany]

Do you guys think omer ege ziyaettin is a big potential player? I feel like he has limited upside, sg with pg physique ( probably Will be around 6'3 max when he's 20-21)

Omer Ege Ziyaettin is a very talented kid. He is not joke like the other Fener prospects like Ergi Tirpanci, Emre Eksioglu, David Mutaf(of course not a joke but not at the level of Ziyaettin), Yigit Onan, Berkay Yilmaz etc. He is a natural born talent, you cant teach his moves, that comes naturally, he is not just a shooter, he is a scorer and scores at various ways and he knows how to play this game. He is a PG/SG, not SG/PG like Kaan Onat. He will be a PG.

Im pretty sure turks are disappointed with his performance in the AST with the U17 NT. But do you know what happenes if you playing as U16 against U18? and plus he is even younger as his age. A very very young face and body. He added every year several cm and will add more inches in the next years and will reach at least a decent height for a PG.

For example Omer Ege is a bigger talent as Kaan Onat. We must know how it is if you are a U16 player(Omer Ege) and a U17(Kaan) against U18. If Kaan has 22ppg and Omer Ege 2ppg it means nothing.

The U17 NT hadnt a good tournament because no one showed good signs, except Anil Alyanak(08). The only good thing for Kaan Onat was that he was more a scorer as a playmaker. People always think its easy if 1 young player has the ball in his hands, he is a PG but reality is different. Because of his physical disadvantages he must be able think faster, sharper, make better decisions as the opponents but couldnt do this last summer and at this AST, this is his big problem.

Anil Alyanak(PF) has showed very good signs. We will see him next season in Istanbul for sure. Very intelligent player and this at both ends of the floor and he even surprised with his toughness in defense because he doesnt look this way and he was younger as the competition. Very interesting prospect. Should shine in the U16 european championship. People must whatch his game against Slovenia, sometimes stats are zero important.

[Camoka]

Tunca again puts amazing numbers in BGL. He is last year MVP and no team has similir quality as Efes but he constantly shows his ability and it is important. Last year he was like a fourth guard in U19 team and second guard behind Cengiz in u18 team. For me, it is unacceptable. He has physical disadvantages and I am not sure that he can be productive with a mid tier BSL team. But if he had a chance, he might attract attention like Topic who is projected top 5 pick in NBA draft.

He is the biggest guard prospect of Turkish basketball for near future. He may be ahead of Ustun because he produces regularly. Ustun is still like a prospect. I am waiting to watch him with our u20 this summer. I hope he gets some weights till this time.

[Toruko]

Tunca again puts amazing numbers in BGL. He is last year MVP and no team has similir quality as Efes but he constantly shows his ability and it is important. Last year he was like a fourth guard in U19 team and second guard behind Cengiz in u18 team. For me, it is unacceptable. He has physical disadvantages and I am not sure that he can be productive with a mid tier BSL team. But if he had a chance, he might attract attention like Topic who is projected top 5 pick in NBA draft.

He is the biggest guard prospect of Turkish basketball for near future. He may be ahead of Ustun because he produces regularly. Ustun is still like a prospect. I am waiting to watch him with our u20 this summer. I hope he gets some weights till this time.

Dont get carried away just because of the youth league. BGL doesnt have the quality of the Serbian youth League or the Spanish. If he starts to produce at the TBL level we can talk. He has not a higher ceiling than Ustun but he has serious talent.

[Toruko]

Derin Saran has entered the transfer portal and will probably change the conference he played last season. He ended his first season with 10 Points and 50% fgp.
Many Universities are interested in him. Top programs like Stanford and Duke are among them a couple of sources claim. We will finally be able to measure his ceiling in a strong conference premised he is gonna play.

[peker]

Derin Saran (04') committed to Stanford.

[Toruko]

Derin Can Ustun became the MVP of the Slovenian U18 tournament.

His stats for the last game: 27 points in 22 minutes (5/6 from three and 5/8 from the mid range), 6 assists

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZyMfCSLeEb8

Derin is a very good play maker, defender and a rebounder. He only lacks (at least rn) verticality and explosiveness but on of the best rim finisher that I have seen so far.

[Toruko]

The best play maker Talent since Baris Ermis and Omer Kutluay is following. Hopefully Melih Tunca also will find his path.

GNYxKd5WEAAZ5PU?format=jpg&name=large.jpg

[Straight forward]

The best play maker Talent since Baris Ermis and Omer Kutluay is following. Hopefully Melih Tunca also will find his path.

GNYxKd5WEAAZ5PU?format=jpg&name=large.jpg

Must be. Whoever you were referring to. One is a no-name. Other - shooting guard.

[Toruko]

Must be. Whoever you were referring to. One is a no-name. Other - shooting guard.

Omer Kutluay is the best passer of his generation. Baris Ermis was a star point guard potential in his U16 - 20 days.