Ergin Ataman is ready for this moment
All the hype for Türkiye is understandably focused on Alperen Sengun. The Houston Rockets player is a star but, writes Emmet Ryan, it’s how Ergin Ataman uses him and the rest of this roster that has them poised to take the EuroBasket 2025 title.
There are few characters like Ergin Ataman. His wild statements to attract attention are both predictable and yet protect his players as the scrutiny falls on him. The Türkiye head coach has been through his battles. He knows what it’s like to have a superstar like Alperen Sengun yet also to get the most out of a team where the talent ceiling is clear. On Sunday, he has a chance for his crowning achievement in the final of EuroBasket 2025.
The hard road
If you only look at what Ergin Ataman has won, you’d think he’d always been a winner. When you look at the dates, the real picture presents itself. The 59 year old has won three Euroleague titles and reached the Final Four in his maiden season in the competition, where he guided Siena to third place in 2003. Then you see that he didn’t get back to the showpiece event until 2019.
In between he fought and scrapped with what he had. He won an unlikely mini-treble in 2012 with Besiktas, took Galatasaray to Turkish league glory in 2013 (their only such title this century) and then led them to the first ever Eurocup title for a Turkish team in 2016.
Even with the national team, he knows that it’s about the fight. At EuroBasket 2025, he has Alperen Sengun who is a do-everything man. His run from 2014 to 2016 involved a gutsy run to the 2014 FIBA World Cup quarter final and a last 16 appearance at EuroBasket a year later. In both competitions, he had to maximise a limited roster. Now, he’s got weapons to work with.
Stands by himself
Türkiye arrived at EuroBasket 2025 with a roster perfectly capable of going 10 deep. Indeed, they probably could have gone the full 12. It would mean their stars, especially Alperen Sengun and the 32 year old Shane Larkin, could get real rest. That’s just not the Ergin Ataman way.
Even at Panathinaikos, one of the deepest rosters outside of the NBA, Ataman sticks to a tight rotation. It may go back to his days having to scrap and fight with limited resources but he goes 8 deep and that’s it. If you are in his rotation, you are playing hard minutes with stern D. If you’re the 9th man or lower, you’d better hope it’s a blowout so you get some garbage time minutes.
Considering the depth Germany present in the final, it’s easy to think Ataman might change things up. Sertac Sanli and Omer Yurtseven could both offer contributions to match their opponents. We all know he won’t do that. Ataman has his 8 and it has worked so far so he’s not changing.
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A master of illusion
Ergin Ataman loves to talk. There are few things as enjoyable to watch as an Ergin Ataman post game interview. If his team has won, which has happened plenty with Alperen Sengun at the helm, he’s a bundle of joy. When they lose, we get a type of focused anger that shows you your dad is angry at the neighbours.
He has made his son, Sarp, a voluntary assistant coach with the Türkiye national team. Having a 15 year old helping a side in the EuroBasket 2025 final might seem mad but it fits into the character. When Ataman speaks, his goal is to bring all the focus onto himself. He wants to remove external distractions from his players and bring whatever heat there is to him and him alone.
It may seem the behaviour of an egomaniacal buffoon from the outside, particularly given his complaints are often from the Karen handbook. It’s quite the opposite, Ergin Ataman will sacrifice everything for everyone around him to get success. He wants to bring it all on and leave the players to play basketball.
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Ergin Ataman knows what he has in Alperen Sengun and wants to maximise the impact of the Houston Rockets star. (Credit FIBA)
The moment
Ergin Ataman has already secured Türkiye’s second ever medal at EuroBasket. Indeed, it’s only their third ever medal in a major tournament, after silver at the 2010 FIBA World Cup. This is also the first ever won by the nation outside of Türkiye.
That’s all locked down, it’s done. Ergin Ataman wants more. Before his first season with Panathinaikos, he said his goal was the Euroleague Final Four. He ended up winning it. Before EuroBasket 2025, he said the goal was to win a medal. You know he believes he can exceed that.
This Türkiye roster goes beyond Alperen Sengun. We know Ataman can get big nights out of anyone in his rotation. Guessing who that will be is the hard part. That’s the thing with Ataman, his statements are predictable but his gameplan can be masterful.
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