The following is a list of Turkish players in the National Basketball Association (NBA). This list also includes players who were born outside of Turkey but have represented the national team. Mirsad Türkcan is the first Turkish basketball player to play in the NBA.
Key Pos.GFCPositionGuardForwardCenter * Denotes player who is still active in the NBA
Players Note: Statistics are correct through the end of the . Player Pos. Team(s) played Career Games played NBA draft Notes Ref. Regular season Playoffs Year (pick) Team F/C Philadelphia 76ers – 41 0 2012 (53rd) Los Angeles Clippers C/F Chicago BullsHouston RocketsNew Orleans Pelicans –, –– 471 37 2008 (36th) Portland Trail Blazers G/F Chicago Bulls 23 0 Undrafted — * C Philadelphia 76ers –present 129 10 2024 (41st) Philadelphia 76ers Born in Nigeria, moved to Turkey at the age of 13, became a naturalized Turkish citizen, represents Turkey internationally. C Boston CelticsCleveland Cavaliers – 69 0 2008 (60th) Boston Celtics C/F Utah JazzOklahoma City ThunderNew York KnicksPortland Trail BlazersBoston Celtics –––, , 748 592011 (3rd) Utah Jazz Born in Switzerland to Turkish parents, became a naturalized American citizen, represented Turkey internationally. F Milwaukee BucksDetroit PistonsOrlando MagicOklahoma City ThunderPhiladelphia 76ersAtlanta HawksUtah Jazz2005-2007, –, –-, - 825 52 2005 (36th) Milwaukee Bucks G Philadelphia 76ers – 328 33 2016 (26th) Philadelphia 76ers G Seattle SuperSonics 5 0 Undrafted — G Dallas MavericksNew York KnicksBrooklyn NetsBoston Celtics 256 13 2013 (18th) Atlanta Hawks Born in the United States, became a naturalized Turkish citizen, represents Turkey internationally. F/C Detroit PistonsUtah JazzNew Jersey Nets –– 634 71 2001 (38th) Detroit Pistons F Cleveland CavaliersSan Antonio Spurs 2017–20232023–2024 476 19 2015 (31st) Cleveland CavaliersBorn in Republic of Macedonia to ethnic Turkish father and Turkish/Bosnian mother, represents Turkey internationally. * F/C Houston Rockets –present 358 13 2021 (16th) Oklahoma City Thunder F New York KnicksMilwaukee Bucks 17 2 1998 (18th) Houston Rockets Born in SFR Yugoslavia, has represented Turkey internationally. F Sacramento KingsSan Antonio SpursOrlando MagicToronto RaptorsPhoenix SunsLos Angeles Clippers ––, –– 997 109 2000 (16th) Sacramento Kings * C Miami HeatUtah Jazz – 113 17 Undrafted — Born in Uzbekistan to Turkish parents.
Drafted but never played Player Pos. NBA draft Notes Ref. Year (pick) Team F 2005 (59th) Atlanta Hawks G/F 2009 (57th) Phoenix Suns Born in SFR Yugoslavia, has represented Turkey internationally. F 2012 (50th) Denver Nuggets F 2012 (57th) Brooklyn Nets F 2023 (56th) Memphis Grizzlies Born in Bosnia and Herzegovina, represents Turkey internationally.
NBA champions Season Player Team Mehmet Okur Detroit Pistons
Former NBA All-Star Game participants Season Location Player Team Paradise, NV Mehmet Okur Utah Jazz San Francisco, CA Alperen Şengün Houston Rockets Los Angeles, CA Alperen Şengün Houston Rockets
See also List of foreign NBA players
Notes Each year is linked to an article about that particular NBA season. dissolved in 1992 into five independent countries, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Macedonia, Slovenia, and the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. FR Yugoslavia was renamed into Serbia and Montenegro in February 2003 and dissolved into two independent countries, Montenegro and Serbia, in June 2006.
References