First of all, thank you for doing the interview. How are you feeling as your season is over now?
I feel really good. The season didn’t end as how I was planning to but I believe I had a pretty good year. Now I’m back in Turkey and practicing here. I’m trying to stay ready for my college season.
You are going to make an important decision in the near future, but before we talk about that, let’s go to the beginning. What is your first sports memory, how did you start playing basketball?
My first memory was my dad taking me to a basketball practice. He was a soccer player but he always thought that basketball was the right thing for me to do. I was only 4 years old at my first basketball practice. There was a basketball school near my home, I played there and got a proper education until I was 10. I fell in love with the game so soon and never stopped playing.
Then you went to Darüşşafaka and started playing against better competition. How did those years affect your confidence and decision to become a basketball player?
When I was 10, Levent Topsakal came to watch me play and thanks to him I made it to Darüşşafaka. I played there until I was 16 years old and from my first day to the last, they put big effort for me to gain confidence and become the basketball player that I am today. They always knew I had what it takes to be a solid prospect. People around me gave me the confidence that I needed and motivated me to keep pursuing my dreams. I kind of started to understand that I could become a professional baller when I was 8.
After your time in Darüşşafaka, you moved to the USA to play basketball. Obviously this was not an easy decision. How did the opportunity came up and what were the main reasons of your decision to go?
When I was 14-15, I was watching YouTube videos just like most of my peers and I was often impressed by Zion Williamson and Jalen Green’s high school mixtapes. I started to question myself in terms of the level that I could reach if I go and play in the USA. I was watching athletic guards and thinking to myself, “If I play against these guys, it could be great for my progress.” and I really wanted to test my game against them. I first talked to my parents about the idea of me going. They were not into it at first but I kept asking and asking and they finally gave up, I managed to convince them. When we look back today, I’m so glad we made this decision. Before I went there, I was in contact with some coaches but one of my friends who was already studying in the USA had a coach and he became the coach of Asheville at that time. I met my coach thanks to him and I decided to play there. Most people wouldn’t want to leave their homes at such a young age but I really needed that challenge in my life.
What is a day for you like in the USA?
My schools starts at 8.30 and ends around 3.15. Before school, I always head to the gym and shoot some shots. The gym is only 2 minutes away to my school so it is a great chance. After school, I go to practice. After the practice, there is a mandatory study time, we need to go back to our rooms and study, do our homeworks. The education approach is strict.
How was your first year in the USA? Was it easy for you to adapt to the country and the way game is played there?
I’m not going to lie, it was hard, especially during my first season. It was much more physical and the pace was so different than Europe. The level of athleticism these players had was incredible, everyone was dunking. It did not seem normal to me at first. I didn’t perform well in my first season so I worked a lot and got used to the basketball style there. My last 2 seasons, I think I played well. Fundamental level and education is better in Europe and I stood out with my fundamentals. The fitness facilities and workout programs are excellent in the USA and I grew a lot because of it. So I might say I got used to it by adjusting to their game while adding up the things that were already in my bag.
After 3 conference championships in a row with Asheville, you were so close to reach the state finals in your senior season but came up short in the semi final game. You were named in the All State First Team and were nominated for the North Carolina Gatorade Player of the Year award. What can you say about your progress in your last high school year and the basketball level in North Carolina?
I got to show all the work that I put in and my athleticism was much better so I had a good season. I averaged 19.8 points, 8.1 rebounds, 7.2 assists and 3 steals per game. People call North Carolina as “HoopState”, the culture in the state is incredible. Michael Jordan, Stephen Curry and John Wall are some of the players that competed in North Carolina basketball. The level of players and teams were really solid. The fact that I got nominated for the Player of the Year Award is so cool and we played against great teams this season such as Oak Hill and Prolific Prep. I believe my performance was good against them as well. Yeah, we lost in the semi final. I really thought we could win it all this season but we couldn’t, it is what it is.
You already got offers from 17 D1 programs and you’re going to have a hard decision to make. Have you got the chance to visit any of them?
This is a very exciting process. Knowing that 17 D1 schools want me makes me feel proud of myself. I have 17 scholarships and I get to pick. I have visited Stony Brook and Northeastern so far. I believe I’ll get 5-10 more scholarship offers in the upcoming weeks, then I will pick 3 other schools to visit and try to make the decision. I will probably decide before the end of April. The most important thing that I will focus on while making this decision is going to be my role in those teams. I am already so excited.
What aspects of your game are you planning to focus on more in your individual practices and what are the things that you believe you are good at?
I think I should be more vocal on the court and I need to work on that. My shooting percentages are not bad but I’m trying to become a better shooter. My free throw percantage was 83% but I believe I can increase it to 90%.
I can read the game well, I can see what’s happening on the court fast and I can predict what’s going to happen beforehand. I think this is something that I am good at.
Do you have time to follow European basketball at all? Which league do you think is the best fit for your style of play?
I try to follow EuroLeague games. To me, watching EuroLeague games is more fun than watching NBA regular season games. EuroLeague is more exciting. I work for the NBA and I believe I can make it, that’s the goal. Picking the right college and getting a lot of minutes there might lead me to my goals so NBA is the best fit for me.
Do you consider any players as your role models or idols?
I love Derrick Rose since I was a little kid. His injuries broke my heart, he was my idol. I was wearing his shoes, his t shirts and everything all the time. People in the USA also tell me that I play like Steve Nash so he is one of the players that I try to watch. In Europe, I like watching Shane Larkin a lot, he is one of the players that I look up to and study.
What are your short and long term goals?
First of all, I want to play in the U19 World Cup this summer, representing Turkey. I think it is going to be so fun and I am already excited about that. Then, in 2 years I want to have a great season in college and declare for the NBA Draft. If things don’t go as planned, I want to graduate from college and try to keep playing basketball professionally.
