The excitement of the new season in the Basketball Champions League officially began this week. In their opening game of Group D, our representative Galatasaray faced RASTA Vechta.
In the match held at the Basketball Development Center, Galatasaray started the Basketball Champions League with a 103-91 victory over RASTA Vechta.
After the game, Galatasaray’s new signing, Can Korkmaz, shared his thoughts with Eurohoops.
Having joined the team last week as the final transfer before the new season, Can Korkmaz is set to begin his fourth stint in a Galatasaray jersey.
Discussing his transfer process, Korkmaz, who completed last season with Darüşşafaka, mentioned that everything was finalized in just one day. He expressed his excitement about rejoining Galatasaray, saying:
“The transfer process developed very quickly — it was done in a day. Galatasaray expressed that they needed me in the short term, and I accepted without hesitation. After the 4+3 rule was implemented, things didn’t go the way I wanted with the teams or situations I was looking for, so I preferred to wait. In the end, it turned out to be one of the places I wanted the most, and I’m very happy about that.”
Having worked with coach Yakup Sekizkök at Darüşşafaka last season, Can Korkmaz will reunite with him this year at Galatasaray. The experienced guard stated that he knows the system and will do whatever the team needs, saying:
“I will try to do whatever Yakup Sekizkök asks for, whatever the team needs. I’m already familiar with the people and the system here. So, I’ll do my best to meet Galatasaray’s needs.”
After helping Galatasaray secure a season-opening win against RASTA Vechta, Korkmaz also mentioned the positive atmosphere within the team, highlighting how warmly he was welcomed. He added:
“It’s always nice to start with a win. It boosts the team’s energy and camaraderie. There’s a great chemistry here, and everyone welcomed me with open arms. I hope we can continue like this and keep our fans supporting us throughout the season.”
Reflecting on playing his first game in the newly renovated Basketball Development Center, formerly known as Abdi İpekçi, Can Korkmaz said the venue holds many beautiful memories and expressed his hopes for more this season:
“We have a lot of great memories at Abdi İpekçi. Hopefully, we can add another beautiful memory this season by winning a trophy.”
In his first game back with Galatasaray, Can Korkmaz played 9 minutes, contributing 5 points, 2 rebounds, and 1 assist against RASTA Vechta.
