2005-born Sivas was one of the under-appreciated performers of the FIBA U18 European Championship in Izmir, Turkey. In 7 games, he averaged 7.4 points, 2.3 rebounds, 2.7 assists and led the tournament in steals, averaging 3 per game. Sivas came out of a breakout season in the Turkish Youth League (BGL), leading his team to the championship and continued to impress this summer during Turkey’s final run.
Emir Arda Sivas (2005)
Height: 183cm / 6’0
Club: Gaziantep Basketbol
Nationality: TUR
STRENGTHS
Fast guard who can operate at different speeds
Creative passer who has the guts to try almost anything on the court
Great on-ball defender, a pain in the ass for his matchups
Decent off-ball and help defender who leads his teammates into instant rotations and has intriguing timing on deflections
Good feel for the game for his age on both ends of the floor
Promising 3-point shooter who isn’t afraid to take the biggest shot of a game
Strong ball-handler and crasher who is good at drawing fouls and not bad at finishing around the rim.
WEAKNESSES
His height might be a problem in the pro level against bigger guards
Body needs progress, not very strong upper and lower body
Shot selection might be problematic
Sometimes over-enthusiastic to steal the ball that ends up with foul trouble
Questionable decision making on offense
OUTLOOK
Sivas has potential to be one of the most passionate players coming out of Turkey. He might miss his first 6 3-point attempts but if the game is on the line, he might still be the first person to trust for the last shot. (The game against Lithuania is a perfect example for that) Loves the big moments, lives for them. You can feel his love for the game of basketball and his willingness to fight for every ball. He is not afraid to challenge the best players on the opposing teams, loves trash-talking even if it’s Motiejus Krivas or Izan Almansa that he’s going to have to face. Destined to be the shortest player on any team he plays for but covers it with having the biggest heart. Has potential to be a great 3-point shooter and already a decent defender. He might shoot some airballs and give bad passes but he rarely looses confidence. It’s not easy to figure out his potential because of his height but can easily become a fan favorite college player leading into a successful career in Europe. (Basketball Champions League, EuroCup etc.)
