NBA

All Turkish NBA Players: Complete List of Players From Turkey Who Played in the NBA

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Cedi Osman, Alperen Şengün, Kenan Sipahi, and Shane Larkin in the jersey of the Turkish national basketball team

Turkish basketball in the 21st century can boast two European silver medals and one World Cup silver. In addition, Turkish clubs Fenerbahçe and Anadolu Efes have each won the EuroLeague twice. When you add nearly 20 Turkish basketball players who have appeared in the world’s strongest basketball league – the NBA – it’s clear that basketball in this country is a sport on the rise. Many Turkish NBA players have roots in other countries, and below we bring you their interesting biographies and a complete list of Turkish players in NBA history.

MIRSAD TURKCAN

The first Turkish basketball player in the NBA was Mirsad Jahović, better known by his Turkish surname as Mirsad Turkcan. The brother of well-known singer Emina Jahović was born in Novi Pazar, Serbia on June 7, 1976. At a very young age he moved to Turkey, where he built his career with Efes Pilsen. He was selected 18th overall by the Houston Rockets in the 1998 NBA Draft. Because of the NBA lockout during the 1998–99 season, he had to wait for his debut. In the meantime, his rights were traded to the New York Knicks.

He made his NBA debut in the 1999–00 season, becoming the first Turkish player ever to appear in the league. He played only seven games for the Knicks, averaging 0.6 points and 1.4 rebounds per game. The Knicks waived him in February 2000, and he continued his NBA career with the Milwaukee Bucks. He appeared in 12 games for the Bucks (including two in the playoffs), averaging around 2.6 points and 2 rebounds per game. Mirsad then returned to Europe, where he became one of the best EuroLeague players of the 2000s. He was named EuroLeague MVP in 2002. With the Turkish national team, he won silver at EuroBasket 2001, where they lost the final in Istanbul to FR Yugoslavia.

Teams:

  • New York Knicks (1999–00)

  • Milwaukee Bucks (2000)

HEDO TURKOGLU

Like Jahovic, the second Turkish player in the NBA, Hidayet Turkoglu, also has origins in Serbia. Before moving to Turkey, his family carried the surname Ramićević and has roots near Sjenica; they also lived for a period in the village of Lažani in North Macedonia. Besides Turkish, Turkoglu speaks Serbian fluently, which he has demonstrated many times in interviews with Serbian journalists.

After strong performances for Efes, he was selected 16th overall by the Sacramento Kings in the 2000 NBA Draft. Upon arrival, he immediately became teammates with Vlade Divac and Peja Stojaković, who nicknamed him “Brother Hido.” In his three seasons with the Kings, he proved himself as an excellent bench player and an important component of the best era in the club’s history. In the 2001–02 season, he averaged 10.1 points across 80 games and won the NBA Sixth Man of the Year award.

Move to the Orlando Magic

His transfer to Orlando proved to be the perfect fit. He twice scored 39 points in a Magic jersey, which remains his career high. In the 2007–08 season, he was named the NBA’s Most Improved Player after averaging 19.5 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 5 assists per game. He played all 82 games that season, starting every one. The following year (2008–09), he reached the NBA Finals with Orlando. He particularly stood out in the Finals series against the Lakers, averaging 18 points, though the Magic lost the series 4–1.

After Orlando, Hido played for Toronto, Phoenix, and later returned to Orlando from 2010 to 2014. He ended his career in 2014–2015 with the Clippers. Over 15 NBA seasons, he averaged 11.1 points, 4 rebounds, and 2.8 assists per game. With the national team, he won two silver medals – at EuroBasket 2001 and the 2010 FIBA World Cup. He is currently the president of the Turkish Basketball Federation.

Teams:

  • Sacramento Kings (2000–03)

  • San Antonio Spurs (2003–04)

  • Orlando Magic (2004–09 & 2010–14)

  • Toronto Raptors (2009–10)

  • Phoenix Suns (2010)

  • Los Angeles Clippers (2014–2015)

MEHMET OKUR

Another member of the famous 2001 silver-medal generation who played in the NBA was Mehmet Okur. The 211-cm-tall center was selected 38th overall in the 2001 NBA Draft by the Detroit Pistons. With Detroit, he won an NBA championship ring in the 2003–04 season. Although he contributed significantly off the bench, the heavy competition at the center position pushed him toward a move to the Utah Jazz.

The move to Utah turned out to be perfect, as he became one of the team’s key players. In the 2006–07 season, he became the first Turkish player to appear in an NBA All-Star Game. In January 2009, he scored a career-high 43 points in a game against Indiana. His best statistical season was 2005–06, when he averaged 18 points and 9.1 rebounds per game. Over his entire NBA career, he averaged 13.5 points and 7 rebounds.

After a brief stint with Türk Telekom during the 2011 NBA lockout, he played 17 games for the New Jersey Nets. He later retired due to injury issues.

Teams:

  • Detroit Pistons (2002–04)

  • Utah Jazz (2004–11)

  • New Jersey Nets (2011–12)

IBRAHIM KUTLUAY

Remembered as the first Turkish basketball player to win the EuroLeague title, Ibrahim Kutluay was also the fourth player from Turkey to appear on an NBA court. He was part of the generation that won silver at EuroBasket 2001 in Istanbul. Although he was never selected in the NBA Draft, Kutluay attracted attention with his excellent performances in Europe. This eventually led the Seattle SuperSonics to sign him for the 2004–05 season.

Unfortunately, he played only five NBA games for the Sonics, without scoring a single point. In just 2.4 minutes per game, he averaged 0.2 rebounds and 0.4 turnovers across those appearances. He then returned to Europe, where he played several more high-level seasons. He retired in 2009.

Teams:

  • Seattle SuperSonics (2004–05)

ERSAN ILYASOVA

When the silver generation of Turkoglu, Kutluay, Okur, and Turkcan began stepping off the big stage, a new leader for Turkish basketball emerged: Ersan Ilyasova. For years, various controversies surrounded his name, particularly regarding his age and origin. The Uzbekistan Basketball Federation claimed he was born as Arsen Ilyasov and that he was actually born in 1984 — not 1987 as officially listed. These accusations were later dismissed, and according to official records, Ilyasova is of Crimean Tatar descent.

Regardless, Ersan was selected 36th overall in the 2005 NBA Draft by the Milwaukee Bucks and joined the team that same summer.

In his first NBA stint, he played 66 games for the Bucks, averaging 6.1 points and 2.9 rebounds, with brief assignments in the D-League. He then moved to FC Barcelona from 2007 to 2009, winning the ACB League title in 2009. After that, he returned to Milwaukee — this time with a much bigger role. Ersan spent the next six seasons with the Bucks, averaging double-digit scoring in almost every one.

He later played for Detroit, Orlando, Oklahoma City, Philadelphia, and Atlanta before returning to Milwaukee again in the 2018–19 season. Ilyasova ended his career in 2021 as a member of the Utah Jazz. His career-high is 34 points, but one of his most memorable performances came in 2012 when he posted 29 points and 25 rebounds for Milwaukee, earning NBA Player of the Week honors. Over his NBA career, he averaged just over 10 points per game. With Turkey, he won silver at the 2010 FIBA World Cup.

Teams:

  • Milwaukee Bucks (2005–07, 2009–15, 2018–20)

  • Detroit Pistons (2015–16)

  • Orlando Magic (2016)

  • Oklahoma City Thunder (2016)

  • Philadelphia 76ers (2016–17, 2018)

  • Atlanta Hawks (2017–18)

  • Utah Jazz (2021)

SEMIH ERDEN

Like Turkoglu, Semih Erden also traces his origins to Sjenica, and according to some sources, his family’s surname before moving to Turkey was Šehović. His basketball journey was anything but typical. After stints with Darüşşafaka, Partizan, and Fenerbahçe, he made his way to the NBA. The Boston Celtics selected him with the final pick (60th) in the 2008 NBA Draft. He remained in Europe until 2010, when he finally decided to cross the Atlantic.

Despite fierce competition at center — Shaquille O’Neal, Jermaine O’Neal, and Kendrick Perkins — a wave of injuries opened the door for Erden, who became a starter in December 2010.

That season, he played 37 games for Boston, averaging 4.1 points and 2.9 rebounds in 14.4 minutes per game. However, he was traded during the season to Cleveland, where he made 32 appearances between the remainder of 2010–11 and the following season. He then returned to Europe, joining Anadolu Efes. Erden officially retired in 2024. He was also part of the Turkish national team that won silver at the 2010 FIBA World Cup.

Teams:

  • Boston Celtics (2010–11)

  • Cleveland Cavaliers (2011–12)

OMER ASIK

Selected 36th overall in the 2008 NBA Draft by the Portland Trail Blazers, Omer Asik’s rights were immediately traded to the Chicago Bulls. The 213 cm (7 ft) center first suited up for the Bulls in the 2010–11 season. In his first two NBA seasons, he averaged around 3 points and 4.5 rebounds per game.

A move to the Houston Rockets proved to be a turning point. In the 2012–13 season, he played all 82 games and averaged a double-double — 10.1 points and 11.7 rebounds in 30 minutes per game. He was even better in the playoffs, averaging 12.3 points and 11.2 rebounds. The Rockets were eliminated 4–2 by Oklahoma City in the first round.

The following season, Houston signed Dwight Howard, which drastically reduced Asik’s minutes. He was then traded to New Orleans, where he played solidly but also began struggling with Crohn’s disease. Photos of his noticeable weight loss began circulating in the media.

His final NBA season was 2017–18, in which he once again played for Chicago. In 2019, it was announced that he had ended his career due to illness and injuries. With Turkey, he won silver at the 2010 FIBA World Cup in Istanbul.

Teams:

  • Chicago Bulls (2010–12, 2018)

  • Houston Rockets (2012–14)

  • New Orleans Pelicans (2014–18)

ENES KANTER

Perhaps the most unusual NBA career story among Turkish basketball players belongs to Enes Kanter — or rather, Enes Kanter Freedom, as he is known today. He was born on May 20, 1992, in Zurich, to Turkish immigrant parents. The family later moved back to Turkey, where Enes grew up. As a young player, he was part of Fenerbahçe before moving to high school in the United States. His talent didn’t go unnoticed by NBA scouts, and he was selected with the extremely high 3rd overall pick by the Utah Jazz in the 2011 NBA Draft.

He quickly began posting strong performances at the NBA level and soon became one of the team’s leaders. He stayed in Salt Lake City until the 2014–15 season, when he joined the Oklahoma City Thunder. In his first season with the Thunder, he averaged 18.7 points and 11 rebounds per game. He reached the Western Conference Finals in the 2015–16 season. His time in Oklahoma would turn out to be the most successful period of his career.

He later posted strong numbers with New York, Portland, and Boston before retiring in 2022.

Dispute with the Turkish Government

Over his 11-year NBA career, he averaged 11.2 points and 11 rebounds per game. With Turkey’s U18 national team, he won a bronze medal at the 2009 European Championship. The only senior competition he ever played for Turkey was EuroBasket 2011, where he was the youngest player on the roster and averaged 9.6 points and 3.9 rebounds across eight games.

After publicly criticizing President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, his national team career came to an abrupt halt. Ahead of EuroBasket 2015, coach Ergin Ataman left him off the roster. Kanter claimed he feared that returning to play for Turkey could result in imprisonment or even poisoning.

Teams:

  • Utah Jazz (2011–15)

  • Oklahoma City Thunder (2015–17)

  • New York Knicks (2017–19)

  • Portland Trail Blazers (2019 & 2020–21)

  • Boston Celtics (2019–20 & 2021–22)

Kanter openly supported Fethullah Gülen, which led to his father being charged as a terrorist in Turkey and spending time in custody. After retiring from basketball, Kanter even tried his hand at American professional wrestling (WWE).

FURKAN ALDEMIR

Aldemir was selected at just 19 years old in the 2012 NBA Draft, taken 53rd overall by the Los Angeles Clippers. His rights later moved to the Houston Rockets and then to the Philadelphia 76ers. He signed with Philadelphia on December 15, 2014, and made his debut the same day.

During the 2014–15 season, he played 41 games and averaged 2.3 points and 4.3 rebounds in 13.2 minutes per game. After that season, he returned to Turkey and signed a four-year deal with Darüşşafaka. Unfortunately, after surgery in 2018, he was unable to return to the court, effectively ending his career at just 27 years old.

Teams:

  • Philadelphia 76ers (2014–15)

FURKAN KORKMAZ

After numerous achievements with Turkey’s youth national teams, Furkan Korkmaz was selected by the Philadelphia 76ers with the 26th overall pick in the first round of the 2016 NBA Draft. He signed with the team in the summer of 2017. He spent seven full seasons with the Sixers and had several standout moments. His NBA career-high is 34 points, scored in February 2020 against Memphis.

He averaged 6.8 points, 2 rebounds, and 1.2 assists in 16.6 minutes per game for Philadelphia. He also spent considerable time in the G League and became a G League champion with the Delaware 87ers in 2023. After the 2023–24 season, he returned to EuroLeague basketball. With Turkey, he won the silver medal at EuroBasket 2025.

Teams:

  • Philadelphia 76ers (2017–24)

CEDI OSMAN

Another player with roots in the former Yugoslavia is Cedi Osman. He was born in Ohrid — his father is Turkish, and his mother is from Novi Pazar. As a child, he attended elementary school in Sarajevo and took his first basketball steps with the legendary KK Bosna. His strong connection to his birthplace is clear from the fact that he married Turkish actress Ebru Şahin in 2022 in Ohrid.

This excellent shooter played for Anadolu Efes from 2011 to 2017, becoming one of the team’s leaders over time. In the 2015 NBA Draft, he was selected 31st overall by the Minnesota Timberwolves. After a trade, his rights were acquired by the Cleveland Cavaliers, who signed him in July 2017.

After a brief G League stint, Osman became a regular rotation player and delivered several notable performances. His NBA career-high is 29 points, scored in January 2019. That same season, he was selected to the “Rising Stars” team during All-Star Weekend. He made over 500 three-pointers for Cleveland, becoming one of only nine players in franchise history to reach that milestone.

In the 2023–24 season, he played for the San Antonio Spurs before returning to EuroLeague basketball with Panathinaikos. Over seven NBA seasons, he averaged 9.3 points, 3 rebounds, and 2 assists in 22.7 minutes per game. He was one of Turkey’s key players en route to the silver medal at EuroBasket 2025, where he led the tournament in three-pointers made.

Teams:

  • Cleveland Cavaliers (2017–23)

  • San Antonio Spurs (2023–24)

OMER YURTSEVEN

Another member of Turkey’s silver-winning EuroBasket 2025 team with NBA experience is Omer Yurtseven. He was born in Tashkent, the capital of Uzbekistan, on June 19, 1998. He attended NC State and Georgetown, but went undrafted. Still, he managed to reach the NBA through the G League. During the 2020–21 season, he played for Oklahoma City’s affiliate, the Oklahoma City Blue. Although OKC didn’t offer him a contract, Miami did. He played two seasons for the Heat and even reached the NBA Finals in 2023, where Miami lost to Denver.

In the 2023–24 season, he played 48 games for Utah before moving to Panathinaikos. Over his three NBA seasons, he averaged 5 points and 4.6 rebounds in 11.8 minutes per game.

Teams:

  • Miami Heat (2021–23)

  • Utah Jazz (2023–24)

ALPEREN SENGUN

Turkey’s current basketball superstar, Alperen Şengün, was selected 16th overall in the 2021 NBA Draft by Oklahoma City. His rights were quickly traded to the Houston Rockets, who signed him that same summer. Even in his rookie year, he recorded several double-doubles and frequently crossed the 15-point mark. In January 2023, he posted the first triple-double of his career, showcasing just how versatile his game is. In the 2024–25 season, he became an NBA All-Star for the first time. That same year, he made his playoff debut, where Houston pushed Golden State to seven games. He delivered an impressive series, averaging 20.9 points, 11.9 rebounds, and 5.3 assists.

His current career-high is 45 points against San Antonio in March 2024. He already has 21 games with 30 or more points. He shined at EuroBasket 2025 as well, leading Turkey to the final and earning a spot on the All-Tournament Team. Sengun also became the youngest player in European Championship history to record a triple-double.

Teams:

  • Houston Rockets (2021–present)

ONURALP BITIM

Known for his athletic highlights and dunks, Onuralp Bitim is one of the most exciting guards in Turkish basketball history. He went undrafted in 2021, but that didn’t stop him from pursuing his NBA dream. In the 2023–24 season, he signed with the Chicago Bulls. With short stints in the G League, Bitim played 23 games for the Bulls that season. His NBA career-high is 17 points against Dallas. He averaged 3.5 points and 1.4 rebounds in 11.7 minutes per game. He then moved to Fenerbahçe. Bitim was also part of Turkey’s silver-medal squad at EuroBasket 2025.

Teams:

  • Chicago Bulls (2023–24)

ADEM BONA

Adem Bona Okoro was born on March 28, 2003, in Lagos, Nigeria. After Turkish coaches spotted his talent on a video clip, he moved to Turkey at age 13 and joined Karsiyaka. In 2020, he moved to the United States for high school and later played for the famous UCLA Bruins. In the 2024 NBA Draft, Philadelphia selected him 41st overall. He made his NBA debut in the 2024–25 season, playing in 58 games. He averaged 5.8 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks in 15.6 minutes per game. His career-high is 28 points against Milwaukee in April 2025. With Turkey, he won a silver medal at EuroBasket 2025.

Teams:

  • Philadelphia 76ers (2024–present)

SHANE LARKIN

Finally, we should mention naturalized Turkish international Shane Larkin. He was born in Cincinnati on October 2, 1992. He was selected 18th overall in the 2013 NBA Draft by the Atlanta Hawks. His first NBA team was the Dallas Mavericks, where he averaged 2.8 points in 48 games. He then joined New York, and later Brooklyn, where he averaged 7.3 points during the 2015–16 season.

After a stint with Baskonia, Larkin returned to the NBA for the 2017–18 season with the Boston Celtics. In 54 regular-season games and 11 playoff appearances, he averaged around 4 points per game and helped the Celtics reach the Eastern Conference Finals. After that season, he publicly expressed dissatisfaction with his limited role and stated he no longer wanted to be a “third-string point guard” in the NBA. He then moved to Anadolu Efes, where he won two EuroLeague titles. His outstanding play drew the attention of the Turkish Basketball Federation, and he accepted their offer to represent Turkey. With the national team, he won a silver medal at EuroBasket 2025.

Teams:

  • Dallas Mavericks (2013–14)

  • New York Knicks (2014–15)

  • Brooklyn Nets (2015–16)

  • Boston Celtics (2017–18)

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