One of the top international prospects of 98′ class Omer Faruk Yurtseven, quite surprisingly decided to commit to Georgetown as he will be a redshirt for the upcoming NCAA season. He had really good chances of getting drafted in 2018 draft after having a stellar regular season with NC State, having averages of 13.5 points (57% on FG, 50% from deep), 6.7 rebounds and 1.8 blocks. Eurospects team had the chance to speak with him about the motives of his decision and what the future holds for him. 7-footer also clears the rumour about his possibility of returning back to European basketball.
How do you evaluate your last season with NC State? In what areas you think you have improved the most?
My last season with NC State started off slow but when we started playing conference I started to play more and put up big numbers. I think I did not really showcase my versatile game before as much as I did in this past year at NC State.
It was an unexpected decision for us to see you transfer in NCAA. What was the driving factors behind your decision? How would you describe your experience so far?
I have been enjoying Georgetown a lot to be honest and the biggest reason for the decision
was Patrick Ewing. He is one of the best big men that has played in the league and learning from him was a big factor.
Did you consider playing back in Turkey or in the G-League after your season with NC State has come to an end?
I did not consider going back to Turkey or G-League to be honest. I think that the next step I take has to be to the NBA.
What can you say about your transition from European to NCAA basketball? Can you talk a little bit about going overseas to USA?
I think it was a good decision, I am a firm believer that there is a path paved for everyone and this path shapes us as a human. I went through a lot of adversity in the past two years and have changed a lot mentally and physically.
The biggest transition is definitely the pace of the game as college basketball is a lot faster. Also in Europe half court basketball is played with a better spacing. In college paint is really crowded and teams collapse a lot on a drive.
Tell us about your aspirations, what do you like to achieve in the future?
Be the best possible player I can be. I don’t like comparing myself to other players as everyone is unique in their own game.
Who do you admire in basketball right now? Role model or idol?
I enjoy watching the old clips of Tim Duncan, he has the most weapons I have seen in a big man. The player I like watching that’s still playing is Lebron James and Jokic. They both read the game quite well.
What do you think about the future of the Turkish national team with a young core?
I think we have a huge potential and all that we need is experience.
