By Semih Tuna/ info@eurohoops.net
Despite being 38 years old, Kerem Gonlum is not ready to retire yet. On the contrary he will play next season in the TB2L, the second division in Turkey, with Sakarya, with the goal of promotion to BSL.
The veteran center spoke to Eurohoops about this new challenge in his great career, Turkish basketball and his future ambition which are tied to the sport.
Why did you opt to sign with Sakarya? Did you receive any offers from top division teams?
“I had some offers but unfortunately, Sakarya’s investment in basketball has not paid off so far. Two years in a row now, they are missing the promotion in the playoffs. They called me, I came in, sniffed the atmoshpere and decided that Sakarya’s investments should be reaping the fruits. It feels good to be shouldering such responsibility. I hope we will promote next season”.
The season in Karsiyaka started well but did not end the same way. What went wrong?
“Pınar Karşıyaka did amazing things the season before. We participated in Euroleague but some players left and in Euroleague, being successful does not come easy, especially with wholly a new squad. Still though, I enjoyed every minute of it when I was there. Playing in front of those fans was something special”.
Speaking of fans… Galatasaray fans had waited for you for a very long time and you came but it lasted only for one season. What were the reasons behind this?
“My contract with Galatasaray was for two years with the latter being optional. That season, we had very big issues. The roster changed very frequently. We still did some great things as in we beat Fenerbahce with 6-man rotation, also beat Olympiacos in a do-or-die game in Euroleague. I had nice time there but many factors were involved in the adversity we had suffered from. The board did not want to use the option at the end of the season. I did not consider leaving but the board and staff did not want to retain my services”.
The National Team did not look good this summer. How did you find them, what do you think the future holds for Turkish National Team?
“We indeed did not look good in qualifying games this summer but after all, it was a fairly young team and we all were young. We received the flag from our old generation and carried it well. Now it is time for the next generation to pick it up. We should be supporting them. Due to foreigner rule, they are not really experienced and got some poor playing time in their clubs. They will be experienced and our investment in them will pay off”.
For how long do you consider playing basketball?
I do not really know, I still feel good. Age must not be a parameter in playing. As soon as I feel I am having hard time playing, I would retire. My family supports me a lot and especially my wife thinks I can still play. Thus, I do not consider retiring for the moment. I have a one-year contract with Sakarya and I will have another year if we promote. Also we have another plans for this organization. This was one of the reasons I chose Sakarya over other teams.
Speaking of future plans… Do you consider staying in basketball after retirement? Coaching or agency, will we see you still involved in basketball?
“Of course I do. The names I played together for a long time somehow stayed in basketball world. Harun Erdenay has become the President of Turkish Basketball. Haluk Yıldırım became a GM. Hidayet Türkoğlu became the CEO of TBF. We need to convey our experience to new generations”.
Five short questions…
Who did you have a hard time playing against in the league in your career?
No one.
Who did you enjoy playing together the most in your career?
Carlos Arroyo and Ender Arslan.
Your favourite Turkish player?
Sinan Güler.
The coach you had the best relationship with?
Bogdan Tanjevic.
Most unforgettable moment?
2010 World Championship final.
Translation by Mete Budak