By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
Panathinaikos coach Ergin Ataman revealed that the club is considering signing center Omer Yurtseven from the NBA.
“Getting a very important player like Omer Faruk and making that transfer would give us great power, on paper,” Ataman said to Ajanspor. “However, we have concerns about how it will reflect on the court. We are thinking about it, I mean he’s on our radar.”
Ataman mentioned that Panathinaikos wants to sign a special kind of big man to pair with Mathias Lessort. At the same time, he wants to make sure it won’t alter the team’s winning system that led to the EuroLeague championship and the Greek League title.
Yurtseven is a player that Ataman believes he could adjust smoothly to Panathinaikos. “We can’t add an ordinary player. I’m a little worried that the player we will add will disrupt the balance of the team. Because we have a system there. I am thinking of not making the transfer at the beginning of the season. Sarp Ataman [Ergin Ataman’s son] has a very good name in mind. We’ve been thinking about this player for two days. Omer Faruk Yurtseven left the NBA and is talking the European teams. He was also offered to us. He’s a very good player and I like him. I think he’ll do very well in Europe.”
Regardless of whether Yurtseven ultimately joins Panathinaikos or not, Ataman wants to see him signing in Europe for another reason: The Turkish national team.
Ataman, the head coach of Turkey, feels that Yurtseven will benefit from playing in Europe and that will also reflect on how he performs with the national team in the 2025 EuroBasket.
“Omer Faruk is a very important player. If we can participate in the European Championship next year, he will be one of the most important players on our national team,” Ataman also said. “That’s why I really want him to play in Europe. Furkan Korkmaz has finally come to Europe. That’s a very good choice for him. This will also reflect positively on our national team. I hope this will happen with Ömer Faruk as well.”