Turkish National Team 2021

[Toruko]

OK, as you probably saw my discussion with my Greek friend Victorious we talked about the future strength of both teams so. I decided then to run this thread to give some information about the current level of the Turkish NT. So for Canada I consider this roster for the best one.

1. Shane Larkin, Kenan Sipahi
2. Furkan Korkmaz, Sehmus Hazer, Melih Mahmutoglu
3. Cedi Osman, Metecan Birsen
4. Ersan Ilyasova, Alperen Sengün, Berkan Durmaz
5. Sertac Sanli, Ömer Yurtseven

First of all Kenan for Bugrahan Tuncer because Tuncer cant defend at all and we have enough offensive power here.

In this roster there are including Sengün five active NBA guys.

Ömer Yurtseven (Miami Heat)
Furkan Korkmaz (Sixers)
Cedi Osman (CAVS)
Alperen Sengün (team unknown)
Ersan Ilyasova (JAZZ)

TWO Starters in Euroleagues top team (IMO)

Shane Larkin, Sertac Sanli (despite I dont like him)

These seven guys are without any doubt at least stable EL guys

Metecan Birsen played FIBA BCL with Karsiyaka. He had 10 points and 8 rebounds in the final 8 and 8 points, 6 rebounds in BSL

Sehmus Hazer finished the regular season with 15 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists
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This teams biggest problem is making plays. In this regard we need to add Mert Akay starting next Eurobasket 22 if he is ready or not. Adem Bona is the next one I am expecting to enter the team in 2022. He is considered as a lottery pick in the draft for 2022. Gifted defender with very limited offensive power for now but can easily defend all 5 positions in Europe.

The next promising guy will be Tarik Biberovic of Fenerbahce. 2001 born guy has been showing a tremendous offensive potential and could even contribute in the Euroleague playoffs. I expect his breakout season next year. Must learn playing better defense though.

These 3 guys are the guys I am sure of their development next season.

[Toruko]

This is the roster for the Olympic qualifiers in Canada. Turkey starts with 29 guys with the preps. Everyone that I would have invited is on board. Some NBA guys are still a question mark especially Furkan Korkmaz.

[Toruko]

Mehmet Okur is assistant coach btw.

[Straight forward]

Not to spoil anything, but Yurtseven is neither NBA or EL player. He's just a prospect, so is Sengun, but he's elite prospect so I can justify your enthusiasm in this case. Also having only a scoring first Larkin at 1 is a gamble. Iliasova is the key for this team, cause if he's done it's an open wound at 4 as well. Thin, but offensively very dangerous team on a given night.

[Toruko]

It depends on how you define something. For me someone who has the strength and the skill set to play in the Euroleague is a EL-level player. Both Yurtseven as well as Sengün are for example much better player than Sanli. So if they are better player they can easily take a role in the EL.

Sengün on the other hand is the MVP of the Turkish BSL. Pokusevski for example who came from the second Greek league is just a potential. He hasnt shown anything in Europe and is not ready to contribute anywhere. I think its crucial to make this distinction. Sengün can fill out a bench role in the NBA right away. Of course he must get stronger and develop his skill set furthermore but he is ready to take a role in the NT.

Fenerbahce as well as Efes would love them (Sengün and Yurtseven) a EL spot for the next season. Ulanovas or Barthel for example could not justify their roles with FB but I accept questionings referring to Yurtseven since he hasnt played any professional game so far.

Referring to Larkin it is also dependable. He has his disadvantages on the defense but who will be his opponents? Sloukas who he destroyed countless times so far, Spanoulis who is even worse? There are just a bunch of teams who are actually able to spoil his disadvantage. Czechs are one team and Canada depending on their roster too (its not Pangos though)

The Goal is having them all together, have a good prep time, do your best and if its not enough for now its ok but I expect a final with Canada.

[Straight forward]

It depends on how you define something. For me someone who has the strength and the skill set to play in the Euroleague is a EL-level player. Both Yurtseven as well as Sengün are for example much better player than Sanli. So if they are better player they can easily take a role in the EL.

Sengün on the other hand is the MVP of the Turkish BSL. Pokusevski for example who came from the second Greek league is just a potential. He hasnt shown anything in Europe and is not ready to contribute anywhere. I think its crucial to make this distinction. Sengün can fill out a bench role in the NBA right away. Of course he must get stronger and develop his skill set furthermore but he is ready to take a role in the NT.

Fenerbahce as well as Efes would love them (Sengün and Yurtseven) a EL spot for the next season. Ulanovas or Barthel for example could not justify their roles with FB but I accept questionings referring to Yurtseven since he hasnt played any professional game so far.

Referring to Larkin it is also dependable. He has his disadvantages on the defense but who will be his opponents? Sloukas who he destroyed countless times so far, Spanoulis who is even worse? There are just a bunch of teams who are actually able to spoil his disadvantage. Czechs are one team and Canada depending on their roster too (its not Pangos though)

The Goal is having them all together, have a good prep time, do your best and if its not enough for now its ok but I expect a final with Canada.

Sengun is a great prospect, but even he might struggle at first at EL/NBA/FIBA levels at first. Let alone Yurtseven. IMO, Sengun will help Turkey already now, IMO, but it's not like he will be dominating.

Ulanovas, BTW, wasn't correctly used. Not to give him the ball in the post is idiotic. Why to sign him and not to use his best offensive trait anyway?

Larkin < Calathes, Sloukas, Spanouls. It's not even close when you look this way. Satoranski is way better, it's not even a competition. And well...Canada...no comments needed. Larkin is good when he makes his crazy threes of the dribble and having a good shooting night, if the shots do not fall, he won't be a glue guy for you.

Turkey may be in the final, you have enough of offensive talent to reach that, but to me Giannis present Greece is second best after Canada and Czhechs stands almost in the same position as Turkey and I would probably give a little edge to Czechs cause they are playing more fundamentally sound, system basketball and has elite FIBA PG to run the show more properly, while Turkey relies more on shooting, pace and space or even run and gun (with Larkin specially) type of BB which is more opportunistic and won't bring consistent results when you match that with all around fundamentally sound teams. On other hand, all three teams aside Canada have more or less equal chances.

[Toruko]

Sengun is a great prospect, but even he might struggle at first at EL/NBA/FIBA levels at first. Let alone Yurtseven. IMO, Sengun will help Turkey already now, IMO, but it's not like he will be dominating.

It depends on who your opponent is. If it is Koufos or Papagiannis or Bourousis he will dominate to a certain degree. If it is Vesely he looked good against him. If not it will be a great experience for him. He played against Dunston, Vesely or even Jonas Jerebko and the latter was destroyed by him in a do or die game.

Ulanovas, BTW, wasn't correctly used. Not to give him the ball in the post is idiotic. Why to sign him and not to use his best offensive trait anyway?

Because he kills the flow and the rhythm. He is not a playoff EL-Level player.

Larkin < Calathes, Sloukas, Spanouls. It's not even close when you look this way. Satoranski is way better, it's not even a competition. And well...Canada...no comments needed. Larkin is good when he makes his crazy threes of the dribble and having a good shooting night, if the shots do not fall, he won't be a glue guy for you.

Yeah put now Korkmaz and Osman in this equation and it looks totally different.

Turkey may be in the final, you have enough of offensive talent to reach that, but to me Giannis present Greece is second best after Canada and Czhechs stands almost in the same position as Turkey and I would probably give a little edge to Czechs cause they are playing more fundamentally sound, system basketball and has elite FIBA PG to run the show more properly, while Turkey relies more on shooting, pace and space or even run and gun (with Larkin specially) type of BB which is more opportunistic and won't bring consistent results when you match that with all around fundamentally sound teams. On other hand, all three teams aside Canada have more or less equal chances.

True Giannis can cause problems but on the other hand a way weaker Turkey 2019 technically beat the USA (a weak team but still NBA players) and Greece lost against the USA with 20+ with Giannis and Tatum couldnt even play. Czech team is a team with chemistry but most of the guys are playing in Nymburg and our guys played against them countless times plus Satoransky, Balvin and Vesely who hasnt played for a long time in the NT. I have more respect against Czechs than Greece.

[rand250]

New member here. I'm a fan of the Canadian team, but am not familiar with most of the Turkish team. I understand Ilyasova and Korkmaz are unlikely to play, due to NBA commitments. Who will be the important players for Turkey in this tournament? Any key prospects?

[Furkan Korkmaz]

New member here. I'm a fan of the Canadian team, but am not familiar with most of the Turkish team. I understand Ilyasova and Korkmaz are unlikely to play, due to NBA commitments. Who will be the important players for Turkey in this tournament? Any key prospects?

Hi! And welcome.

After the 2 you named the most important players are Cedi Osman (Cavaliers) and Shane Larkin (Euroleague). If you’re not very familiar with the EL, Shane was the MVP of last (cancelled) season.

Prospect wise there’s only Alperen Sengun, 18 year with great statistics in the Turkish league, where he was also selected as Mvp this season. As it seems right now he will surely join the NBA next season. Maybe we can also mention Omer Yurtseven, he recently signed with the Heat but he has been off my radar for a while.

[Furkan Korkmaz]

but to me Giannis present Greece is second best after Canada

Let me remind you Mahmutoglu out-averaged Ugo Adetokumbo at the last world cup. There is this funny phenomenon where NBA status and performances do not unequivocally translate over into the nationals. Not only are FIBA competitions dynamically different, also the nature of the game changes a bit. I believe Adeto was complaining about feeling caged and was relieved the World cup was over. This is a game where Campazzo single handedly eliminated team Serbia, only to then be owned by Ricky Rubio of all people lol. Cedi first choked Turkey against the USA, then destroyed All-star Vucevic all by himself, to help us into these playoffs.

I don’t understand when people wanna argue about what is going to happen and always bring the NBA into the conversation. For me the NBA conversation is (partially) irrelevant in FIBA. It’s actually a liability in many cases, you have to be selective about what aspects of the NBA are relevant. Adeto’s reputation and prestige in the NBA is built on his endurance and perseverance over a long stretch. He’s very athletic and picks the fruit of the unimportant format of regular season games in the NBA. He’s not famed for his versatility or skillset, nor his ability to decide close matches. Because he’s actually awful in those things. What kind of “superstar” cant shoot? In FIBA you can’t sign players for 100M dollars, you work with what you’ve got. Pitino will not have a particularly impressive roster under his command. Canada is the clear favorite here, the rest is 50/50. The only window of hope is that Canada isn’t exactly known to be a team that gets things done. They are mostly loose sand.

[rand250]

Hi! And welcome.

After the 2 you named the most important players are Cedi Osman (Cavaliers) and Shane Larkin (Euroleague). If you’re not very familiar with the EL, Shane was the MVP of last (cancelled) season.

Prospect wise there’s only Alperen Sengun, 18 year with great statistics in the Turkish league, where he was also selected as Mvp this season. As it seems right now he will surely join the NBA next season. Maybe we can also mention Omer Yurtseven, he recently signed with the Heat but he has been off my radar for a while.

Thanks! Any chance Adem Bona will be on the team? I'm familiar with him since he's playing in North America now, but not sure if he's eligible.

[Toruko]

Thanks! Any chance Adem Bona will be on the team? I'm familiar with him since he's playing in North America now, but not sure if he's eligible.

He isnt ready right now but I am sure hell be a candidate for Eurobasket 22. Team Turkey is a young team with talented guys but it needs time.

[Furkan Korkmaz]

Thanks! Any chance Adem Bona will be on the team? I'm familiar with him since he's playing in North America now, but not sure if he's eligible.

Oh yes it’s not a matter of eligibility, he’s definitely eligible, but 2/3 players on his position are already inexperienced as it is, the third center is Sanli, who’s had a good season in the Euroleague and is a teammate of Larkin. Although I feel like he’s a one season wonder it is still important to have players who know eachother. Outside of experience chemistry is also a big factor. This is why a team like the Czech made the top 8 at the world cup with mostly Champions league players whereas the “NBA mvp” couldn’t get out of the group stages. Under these circumstances it’s not Bona’s time yet, even if he is 10 times the talent Sanli is (ceiling wise). I hope to see him in the youth tournaments this summer.

[Toruko]

Omer Yurtseven says he plans some family time in Turkey and then will play for Turkey in Olympic qualifier in Canada. (He was signed at season's end by Heat.)

The lost son is finally returning. He said that he hasnt seen his family in 2 and a half years and he is planning to play for Turkey in the Olympic qualifiers. He really solves an important problem zone in the front court of Turkish NT.

We need also Ilyasova a last time even if it is 15 minutes per game. Having Furk somehow would fulfill the dream.

[okanial]

Is it crazy to think that we have a chance if Furkan is in? I believe we would have the best center rotation in the tournament with Alperen, Sertaç and Ömer. Larkin-Furkan-Cedi-Ersan-Alperen should be a really solid starting 5. Cedi and Shane would have so much space to penetrate and dish with Alperen fighting for the offensive boards. We still have gas in second 5 with Şehmus-Melih-Sertaç and whoever we decide to use at point.

Considering no Giannis I think it is between us and Canada