Βy Nikos Varlas/ varlas@eurohoops.net
He is one of the young Turkish talents which seem destined for greatness. The MVP of U18 Eurobasket in Konya, averaging 13.8 points, 6,9 rebounds, 61,4% in two pointers, Egemen Guven was born in 1996 and his future seems bright.
Eurohoops had the chance to chat with him about this future, which will include the NBA draft, his season in Karsiyaka and his family’s basketball tradition.
-In which position do you expect to play when you are fully grown? Are you fast enough to be a power forward, or strong enough to be a center?
“I want to be a power forward. I have quicker legs than centers but my goal is to be even more quicker and I am working very hard for this”.
-Will you enter the upcoming NBA draft?
“It’s not certain yet. It will be more clear just before the end of the season”.
-Why you preferred to stay in Karsiyaka and didn’t pick a “bigger” Turkish club. If we are not mistaken Efes and Fenerbahce/Ulker were interested.
“I grew up in Karsıyaka’s youth program and I thought that I was going to find good playing time in Karsıyaka. Those are my reasons for staying”.
-Did you expected more minutes, after being the MVP in the U18 Eurobasket in Turkey?
“Yes, I thought that I was going to find more playing time because I am the U18 European Championship MVP”.
-Which other players born in 1996 and 1997 do you consider as potential stars? There are players like Charalampopoulos, Bender and Mussini.
“Yes, those three have great potentials to be stars. I believe also that there are other Turkish national team players who are very talented and they will play in the highest level”.
-Your father was a player. How did he help you, what advice did he gave you and we wonder if this fact puts any pressure on you…
“I think I am very lucky because both my parents are former basketball players. I am supported by their genes. Since I started playing basketball, they have been teaching me basketball fundemantals, offensive and defensive positons in our living room. I have my first training video and it was with my mother when I was 2 years old”!