Hidayet Turkoglu, President of the Turkish Basketball Federation, stated that in the new term, they will again work with clubs and maintain the same discipline to elevate Turkish basketball to a better place.
The President of the Turkish Basketball Federation (TBF), Hidayet Turkoglu, expressed his gratitude to the community that elected him for another term as president, adding that they will continue to collaborate with clubs and work with the same discipline to improve Turkish basketball in the coming term.
Answering questions at the Basketball Development Center, Turkoglu thanked the delegates who elected him for a third time, saying, “For the past 8 years, we have always set goals to take basketball to a better level. There were targets we achieved and processes where we haven’t reached the desired point yet, but everyone saw that we were sincere in trying to improve basketball. Therefore, I want to thank them once again.”
Turkoglu emphasized that they had shared their vision and projects with the clubs before the general assembly, adding, “I hope that in the coming process, we will continue to work with clubs and the same discipline to elevate Turkish basketball.”
“Basketball Development Center will contribute economically to basketball”
Turkoglu mentioned that since taking office, he has put great effort into realizing the Basketball Development Center project, stating, “Considering the economic benefits, this facility will indeed contribute significantly to Turkish basketball.”
He thanked President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and ministers for supporting the project from the beginning, adding, “Our national teams will now be housed under one roof. Anadolu Efes and Galatasaray will use the main arena, which has a capacity of 10,000 people. Throughout the year, our national teams will gather here as part of our programs.”
He also noted that the three separate gyms, each with a capacity of 500 spectators, would serve youth development, and the benefits of this to Turkish basketball will become clearer in the coming years.
“Our leagues are always among the best in Europe”
Turkoglu highlighted the significant achievements of Turkish clubs in both men’s and women’s basketball in recent years, stating, “Our leagues are always among the best in Europe. I want to congratulate our clubs for their success, which is the result of proper planning and investments. I believe that the same excitement will continue this season in both the Turkish Insurance Basketball Super League and the ING Women’s Basketball Super League.”
He reminded that 16 clubs, in both men’s and women’s categories, will compete in European cups this season, adding, “Our clubs always aim for the finals through their investments and proper squad planning. I believe the same success will follow this season because their success in the European arena also reflects the value of our leagues. Therefore, I wish them success in this process.”
“We have always included valuable individuals from basketball in our team”
Turkoglu emphasized that the new TBF Board of Directors consists of highly valuable individuals in their respective fields, adding, “I believe they will also bring great value to Turkish basketball and to our basketball in general during this period.”
As a team, Turkoglu stated that they aim to take basketball to a better level in terms of sports, facilities, education, and management over the next four years. He said, “We have always included valuable individuals from basketball in our team. Gulsah Akkaya and Bahar Caglar Okten are very important to us. They will assist us in a managerial sense. You know we also have professionals like Nilay Kartaltepe and Esra Erden Atacan in our team. Huseyin Besok is both my vice president and on the FIBA Board of Directors. Kerem Tunceri was previously the manager of the national teams. Harun is a well-known and beloved figure in our community, and he will share his knowledge and experience with us in a managerial sense. We have a management team made up of very valuable people, and I believe each one will bring great value to basketball with their expertise.”
“Our national team roster has deepened further”
Turkoglu pointed out that the transfers of Furkan Korkmaz, Omer Faruk Yurtseven, and Cedi Osman from the NBA to European clubs will greatly benefit the national team, stating, “With these players coming to Europe, our national team roster has deepened further. They are all high-quality players. With the changes we have made in our own league, as our players gain more playing time and experience, we will have a stronger squad.”
Regarding the upcoming window games in the national teams, Turkoglu said, “Our first goal is to complete the windows flawlessly and earn the right to participate in the European Championship with good basketball. After that, the goal is to prepare the team during the summer and perform well in the European Championship to achieve success there. As we achieve these successes, I believe our goals should gradually move toward the Olympics.”
