Turkey men's national basketball team facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

This page is about the men's team. For the women's team, see Turkey women's national basketball team.

Quick facts for kids
Türkiye

FIBA ranking

(1 March 2024)

Joined FIBA

1936

FIBA zone

FIBA Europe

National federation

TBF

Coach

Ergin Ataman

Nickname(s)

12 Dev Adam
(12 Giant Men)

Olympic Games

Appearances

Medals

None

FIBA World Cup

Appearances

Medals

Silver: (2010)

EuroBasket

Appearances

Medals

Silver: (2001, 2025)

Home

Away

First international

Turkey 49–12 Greece

(Istanbul, Turkey; 24 June 1936)

Biggest win

Turkey 111–41 Algeria

(Istanbul, Turkey; 13 April 1979)

Biggest defeat

Croatia 113–63 Turkey

(Berlin, Germany; 24 June 1993)

The Turkey men's national basketball team, known as Türkiye by FIBA, plays for Turkey in international basketball games. The Turkish Basketball Federation manages the team. Their special nickname is 12 Dev Adam, which means "12 Giant Men".

Turkey has played in many big international basketball tournaments. They have won two silver medals at the EuroBasket tournament. One was in their home country in 2001, and the other was recently in 2025. They also earned a silver medal at the FIBA World Cup when they hosted it in 2010. The team has also won gold medals at the Mediterranean Games in 1987 and 2013, along with other silver and bronze medals. They also won a gold medal at the 1981 Balkan Championship.

Currently, Turkey is ranked 27th in the FIBA World Ranking.

Team History: How Turkish Basketball Grew

Turkey playing against Greece in their first game in 1936.

Ahmet Robenson helped start basketball in Turkey. The first official game for Turkey was in 1936 against Greece, which Turkey won 49–12.

For many years, basketball was not very popular in Turkey. But things changed when the American TV show The White Shadow became popular. Even so, the national team needed more experience to win big tournaments. Their first major wins came in the 1980s, with a gold medal at the 1981 Balkan Championship and the 1987 Mediterranean Games.

Basketball in Turkey grew even more when the club team Efes Pilsen won a European Cup in 1996. After this, the national team started to do very well in international competitions. They won silver medals at EuroBasket 2001 and the 2010 FIBA World Cup.

Early Years: 1930s–1950s

Naili Moran, an early Turkish basketball player at the 1936 Summer Olympics.

Turkey's first big international event was the 1936 Summer Olympics. They played two games there.

The team first played in the European Championship in EuroBasket 1949. They finished in fourth place. Hüseyin Öztürk was the top scorer of that tournament. Turkey continued to compete in the EuroBasket in the 1950s, showing steady improvement. Yalçın Granit was a leading player during this time.

Challenges and Triumphs: 1960s–1980s

The 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s were tough for the Turkish national team in major tournaments. However, they did well at the Mediterranean Games, winning bronze in 1967 and 1983, silver in 1971, and gold in 1987. They also won gold at the 1981 Balkan Championship. Coaches like Samim Göreç, Mehmet Baturalp, and Aydan Siyavuş guided the team. Players like Efe Aydan and Erman Kunter were important during this period.

Rising to Prominence: 1990s and 2000s

After a break, Turkey returned to the EuroBasket 1993. They continued to participate in the EuroBasket throughout the 1990s, gaining more experience.

In EuroBasket 2001, which Turkey hosted, the team made history by reaching the final for the first time. Led by coach Aydın Örs, they won against Croatia and Germany. They earned a silver medal after a close game against FR Yugoslavia. Star players İbrahim Kutluay and Hidayet Türkoğlu were key to this success.

Hedo Türkoğlu, a famous Turkish player in the 2000s.

Because of their great performance in 2001, Turkey played in their first FIBA World Cup in 2002, finishing ninth. They continued to compete in EuroBasket tournaments, improving their skills. In the 2006 FIBA World Cup in Japan, Turkey reached the quarter-finals for the first time, finishing in sixth place. This brave performance earned them a new nickname: 12 Cesur Yürek (12 Brave Hearts).

Global Stage Success: 2010s

Turkey won the silver medal at the 2010 FIBA World Cup, which they hosted.

Turkey hosted the 2010 FIBA World Cup and automatically qualified. Coach Bogdan Tanjević led the team to an amazing run. They won all their group games and then defeated France, Slovenia, and Serbia to reach the final. They earned a silver medal after losing to the United States. This was their best achievement on the international stage.

After this success, Orhun Ene became the head coach for EuroBasket 2011. Turkey also won their second gold medal at the 2013 Mediterranean Games.

In 2014, Ergin Ataman became the head coach. Turkey received a wild card to play in the 2014 FIBA World Cup. They reached the quarter-finals, where they lost to Lithuania. The team continued to compete in EuroBasket tournaments in 2015 and 2017. Ufuk Sarıca took over as head coach in 2017.

In the 2019 FIBA World Cup, Turkey qualified for their fifth World Cup in a row. They had a very close game against the United States, losing by just one point in overtime.

Ufuk Sarıca coached Turkey in the 2017 EuroBasket and 2019 FIBA World Cup.

Recent Achievements: 2020s

Orhun Ene returned as head coach in 2020. After some changes, Ergin Ataman became the head coach again in 2022.

Ergin Ataman was named the Best Coach of EuroBasket 2025.

Under coach Ataman and with talented players like Cedi Osman, Furkan Korkmaz, Shane Larkin, and Alperen Şengün, Turkey reached the knockout stage of the EuroBasket 2022. Most recently, at the EuroBasket 2025, Turkey reached the final for the first time in 24 years. They won a silver medal after a tough game against Germany.

Honours

The Turkish national team's all-time medal record:

Games	Gold	Silver	Bronze	Total
FIBA World Cup	0	1	0	1
EuroBasket	0	2	0	2
Mediterranean Games	2	1	3	6
Total	2	4	3	9

Competitive Record in Major Tournaments

FIBA World Cup Appearances

World Cup					Qualification
Year	Position	Pld	W	L	Pld	W	L
1950	Did not enter				Did not enter
1954	Did not enter				Did not enter
1959	Did not qualify				EuroBasket served as qualifiers
1963	Did not qualify				EuroBasket served as qualifiers
1967	Did not enter				Did not enter
1970	Did not qualify				EuroBasket served as qualifiers
1974
1978
1982
1986					6	2	4
1990					EuroBasket served as qualifiers
1994
1998
2002	9th	8	4	4
2006	6th	9	6	3	Wild card
2010		9	8	1	Qualified as host
2014	8th	7	4	3	Wild card
2019	22nd	5	2	3	12	8	4
2023	Did not qualify				10	4	6
2027	To be determined				To be determined
Total	5/19	38	24	14	28	14	14

Olympic Games Appearances

Olympic Games					Qualifying
Year	Position	Pld	W	L	Pld	W	L
1936	23rd	2	0	2
1948	Did not enter
1952	21st	2	0	2
1956	Did not qualify
1960	Did not enter				Did not enter
1964
1968
1972	Did not qualify				4	2	2
1976	Did not enter				Did not enter
1980	Did not qualify				4	3	1
1984					3	1	2
1988					4	1	3
1992					5	3	2
1996					Did not qualify
2000
2004
2008
2012
2016					3	1	2
2020					3	2	1
2024					5	4	1
2028	To be determined				To be determined
Total	2/21	4	0	4	31	17	14

EuroBasket Appearances

EuroBasket					Qualification
Year	Position	Pld	W	L	Pld	W	L
1935	No national representative
1937	Did not enter
1939
1946
1947
1949	4th	6	3	3
1951	6th	9	6	3
1953	Did not enter
1955	11th	9	5	4
1957	9th	10	8	2
1959	12th	7	3	4
1961	10th	8	3	5
1963	15th	9	1	8	Direct qualification
1965	Did not enter				Did not enter
1967	Did not enter				Did not enter
1969	Did not qualify				4	2	2
1971	12th	7	1	6	4	3	1
1973	8th	7	2	5	10	6	4
1975	9th	7	3	4	Direct qualification
1977	Did not qualify				5	1	4
1979	Did not qualify				9	6	3
1981	11th	8	1	7	8	5	3
1983	Did not qualify				9	4	5
1985					5	2	3
1987					9	2	7
1989					3	1	2
1991					4	2	2
1993	11th	6	2	4	12	9	3
1995	13th	6	1	5	10	4	6
1997	8th	9	3	6	10	7	3
1999	8th	9	4	5	10	8	2
2001		6	4	2	Qualified as host
2003	12th	4	2	2	10	7	3
2005	9th	4	1	3	6	6	0
2007	11th	6	1	5	Direct qualification
2009	8th	9	5	4	6	6	0
2011	11th	8	3	5	Direct qualification
2013	17th	5	1	4	8	5	3
2015	14th	6	3	3	Direct qualification
2017	14th	6	2	4	Qualified as co-host
2022	10th	6	3	3	6	3	3
2025		9	8	1	6	3	3
2029	To be determined				To be determined
Total	26/41	186	79	107	154	92	62

Recent Game Results

Win Loss

2024 Games

22 November 2024 EuroBasket 2025 qualifiers	Turkey	92–66	Hungary	Istanbul, Turkey
20:30 (UTC+3)	Scoring by quarter: 27–20, 16–17, 19–12, 30–17
	Pts: Hazer 25 Rebs: Haltalı 9 Asts: Sipahi 6	Boxscore	Pts: Perl 16 Rebs: Golomán 7 Asts: Váradi 5	Arena: Basketbol Gelişim Merkezi Attendance: 8,573 Referees: Yohan Rosso (FRA), Michał Proc (POL), Sergii Zashchuk (UKR)

25 November 2024 EuroBasket 2025 qualifiers	Hungary	76–81	Turkey	Szombathely, Hungary
18:00 (UTC+1)	Scoring by quarter: 14–21, 17–19, 23–14, 22–27
	Pts: Golomán 16 Rebs: Golomán, Perl 7 Asts: Hanga 9	Boxscore	Pts: Osman 33 Rebs: Osman 11 Asts: Sipahi 11	Arena: Arena Savaria Attendance: 2,500 Referees: Boris Krejić (SVN), Aleksandar Glišić (SRB), Martin Vulić (CRO)

2025 Games

20 February 2025 EuroBasket 2025 qualifiers	Turkey	67–80	Italy	Istanbul, Turkey
20:30 (UTC+3)	Scoring by quarter: 12–17, 19–31, 19–12, 17–20
	Pts: Osman 16 Rebs: Osmani 9 Asts: Sipahi 7	Boxscore	Pts: Bortolani 16 Rebs: Diouf 10 Asts: Pajola 6	Arena: Basketbol Gelişim Merkezi Attendance: 8,655 Referees: Ademir Zurapović (BIH), Andris Aunkrogers (LAT), Blaž Zupančič (SVN)

23 February 2025 EuroBasket 2025 qualifiers	Iceland	83–71	Turkey	Reykjavík, Iceland
19:30 (UTC+0)	Scoring by quarter: 26–16, 20–22, 23–16, 14–17
	Pts: Hermannsson 23 Rebs: Hlinason 11 Asts: Friðriksson, Steinarsson 5	Boxscore	Pts: Yaşar 16 Rebs: Sipahi 8 Asts: Sipahi 10	Arena: Laugardalshöll Attendance: 2,300 Referees: Aleksandar Glišić (SRB), Alexandre Deman (FRA), Juozas Barkauskas (LTU)

27 August 2025 EuroBasket 2025 – Group stage	Latvia	73–93	Turkey	Riga, Latvia
18:00 (UTC+3)	Scoring by quarter: 21–24, 18–23, 16–25, 18–21
	Pts: Lomažs 16 Rebs: Gražulis 5 Asts: Zoriks 5	Boxscore	Pts: Osman 20 Rebs: Şengün 8 Asts: Şengün 7	Arena: Xiaomi Arena Attendance: 11,000 Referees: Gediminas Petraitis (USA), Yohan Rosso (FRA), Fernando Calatrava (ESP)

29 August 2025 EuroBasket 2025 – Group stage	Turkey	92–78	Czech Republic	Riga, Latvia
14:45 (UTC+3)	Scoring by quarter: 21–27, 24–10, 27–25, 20–16
	Pts: Şengün 23 Rebs: Şengün 12 Asts: Şengün 9	Boxscore	Pts: Peterka 23 Rebs: Peterka 5 Asts: Sehnal 8	Arena: Xiaomi Arena Attendance: 1,478 Referees: Antonio Conde (ESP), Lorenzo Baldini (ITA), Josip Jurčević (CRO)

30 August 2025 EuroBasket 2025 – Group stage	Turkey	95–54	Portugal	Riga, Latvia
21:15 (UTC+3)	Scoring by quarter: 22–13, 29–14, 22–10, 22–17
	Pts: Şengün 20 Rebs: three players 5 Asts: three players 5	Boxscore	Pts: Queta 15 Rebs: Queta 7 Asts: Amarante, Brito 3	Arena: Xiaomi Arena Attendance: 1,277 Referees: Yohan Rosso (FRA), Marius Ciulin (ROU), Dariusz Zapolski (POL)

1 September 2025 EuroBasket 2025 – Group stage	Estonia	64–84	Turkey	Riga, Latvia
14:45 (UTC+3)	Scoring by quarter: 13–25, 14–21, 22–19, 15–19
	Pts: Kullamäe 16 Rebs: five players 3 Asts: Konontšuk 5	Boxscore	Pts: Şengün 21 Rebs: Osmani 10 Asts: Şengün 5	Arena: Xiaomi Arena Attendance: 4,844 Referees: Antonio Conde (ESP), Fernando Calatrava (ESP), Josip Jurčević (CRO)

3 September 2025 EuroBasket 2025 – Group stage	Turkey	95–90	Serbia	Riga, Latvia
21:15 (UTC+3)	Scoring by quarter: 19–18, 27–31, 28–24, 21–17
	Pts: Şengün 28 Rebs: Şengün 13 Asts: Larkin 9	Boxscore	Pts: Jokić 22 Rebs: Jokić 9 Asts: S. Jović 6	Arena: Xiaomi Arena Attendance: 6,113 Referees: Gediminas Petraitis (USA), Wojciech Liszka (POL), Yohan Rosso (FRA)

6 September 2025 EuroBasket 2025 – Round of 16	Turkey	85–79	Sweden	Riga, Latvia
12:00 (UTC+3)	Scoring by quarter: 20–23, 17–19, 26–13, 22–24
	Pts: Şengün 24 Rebs: Şengün 16 Asts: Şengün 6	Boxscore	Pts: Håkanson 16 Rebs: Birgander 13 Asts: Pantzar 6	Arena: Xiaomi Arena Attendance: 2,193 Referees: Yohan Rosso (FRA), Ariadna Chueca (ESP), Boris Krejić (SVN)

9 September 2025 EuroBasket 2025 – Quarter-finals	Turkey	91–77	Poland	Riga, Latvia
17:00 (UTC+3)	Scoring by quarter: 19–19, 27–13, 19–18, 26–27
	Pts: Şengün 19 Rebs: Şengün 12 Asts: Şengün 10	Boxscore	Pts: Loyd, Ponitka 19 Rebs: Balcerowski, Ponitka 6 Asts: Ponitka 6	Arena: Xiaomi Arena Attendance: 3,463 Referees: Ademir Zurapović (BIH), Takaki Kato (JPN), Martin Horozov (BUL)

12 September 2025 EuroBasket 2025 – Semi-finals	Greece	68–94	Turkey	Riga, Latvia
21:00 (UTC+3)	Scoring by quarter: 16–26, 15–23, 20–23, 17–22
	Pts: Sloukas 15 Rebs: G. Antetokounmpo 12 Asts: G. Antetokounmpo 5	Boxscore	Pts: Osmani 28 Rebs: Şengün 12 Asts: Hazer, Şengün 6	Arena: Xiaomi Arena Attendance: 10,500 Referees: Matthew Kallio (CAN), Ademir Zurapović (BIH), Jorge Vázquez (PUR)

14 September 2025 EuroBasket 2025 – Final	Turkey	83–88	Germany	Riga, Latvia
21:00 (UTC+3)	Scoring by quarter: 22–24, 24–16, 21–26, 16–22
	Pts: Şengün 28 Rebs: Larkin 6 Asts: Larkin 9	Boxscore	Pts: Bonga 20 Rebs: F. Wagner 8 Asts: Schröder 12	Arena: Xiaomi Arena Attendance: 11,000 Referees: Matthew Kallio (CAN), Ademir Zurapović (BIH), Yohan Rosso (FRA)

Team Roster

Current Roster for EuroBasket 2025

This is the list of players who played for Turkey in the EuroBasket 2025 games.

Turkey men's national basketball team roster

Players

Coaches

Pos.	No.	Name	Age – Date of birth	Height	Club
PG	0	Shane Larkin	32 – (1992-10-02)2 October 1992	1.82 m (6 ft 0 in)	Anadolu Efes
SG	2	Şehmus Hazer	26 – (1999-02-15)15 February 1999	1.90 m (6 ft 3 in)	Anadolu Efes
C	5	Sertaç Şanlı	34 – (1991-08-05)5 August 1991	2.13 m (7 ft 0 in)	Fenerbahçe Beko
SF	6	Cedi Osman (C)	30 – (1995-04-08)8 April 1995	2.00 m (6 ft 7 in)	Panathinaikos
SF	10	Onuralp Bitim	26 – (1999-03-31)31 March 1999	1.96 m (6 ft 5 in)	Fenerbahçe Beko
SG	22	Furkan Korkmaz	28 – (1997-07-24)24 July 1997	2.00 m (6 ft 7 in)	Bahçeşehir Koleji
C	23	Alperen Şengün	23 – (2002-07-25)25 July 2002	2.11 m (6 ft 11 in)	Houston Rockets
PF	24	Ercan Osmani	27 – (1998-04-04)4 April 1998	2.13 m (7 ft 0 in)	Anadolu Efes
C	30	Adem Bona	22 – (2003-03-28)28 March 2003	2.08 m (6 ft 10 in)	Philadelphia 76ers
SF	33	Erkan Yılmaz	27 – (1997-12-03)3 December 1997	1.92 m (6 ft 4 in)	Anadolu Efes
PG	55	Kenan Sipahi	30 – (1995-05-26)26 May 1995	1.97 m (6 ft 6 in)	Bahçeşehir Koleji
C	77	Ömer Yurtseven	27 – (1998-06-19)19 June 1998	2.13 m (7 ft 0 in)	Panathinaikos

Head coach

Ergin Ataman

Assistant coach(es)

Yakup Sekizkök
Ender Arslan

Legend

(C) Team captain
Club – describes last
club before the competition
Age – describes age
on 25 August 2025

Team Positions: Depth Chart

Pos.	Starting 5	Bench 1	Bench 2
C	Alperen Şengün	Ömer Yurtseven	Sertaç Şanlı
PF	Ercan Osmani	Adem Bona
SF	Cedi Osman	Onuralp Bitim	Erkan Yılmaz
SG	Shane Larkin	Furkan Korkmaz
PG	Kenan Sipahi	Şehmus Hazer