Anadolu Efes Spor Kulübü, commonly referred to as Anadolu Efes or simply Efes, is a Turkish professional basketball team based in Istanbul. Founded in 1976, the club was formerly known as Efes Pilsen until 2011. Efes is the 2021–22 Euroleague champion and in first place of European Club Ranking after the Final Four 2020–21. Efes is also the most successful club in the history of the Turkish Super League (BSL), having won the league's championship 16 times. Efes has won a total of 42 domestic trophies, more than any other Turkish basketball club.
The home arena of Anadolu Efes S.K. is the Turkcell Basketball Development Center in Istanbul, which has a seating capacity of 10,000 for basketball games. The club has its own practice facility in the district of Bahçelievler, which was built in 1982. The team competes in the Turkish Super League and the EuroLeague. The team is owned by the Efes Beverage Group.
Anadolu Efes has developed a fierce rivalry with Fenerbahçe in recent years. The two clubs often meet in playoff series and cup finals.
History
The club was established in 1976 as Efes Pilsen S.K., by taking over the Turkish second-division club Kadıköyspor, which had failed due to financial problems.History , efesbasket.org Its initial sponsor was its former longtime namesake, Efes Pilsen, a subsidiary of the Anadolu Group. It won the 1978 Turkish second division national championship undefeated, earning promotion to the Turkish first division, where it has continuously competed ever since. In its first top-flight season (1978–79), Efes Pilsen S.K. won the Turkish national league title, immediately establishing itself as one of the country's top clubs.
After finishing 2nd in the 1992–93 FIBA European Cup, Efes Pilsen S.K. won the 1995–96 FIBA Korać Cup, which marked the first-ever European-wide title won by a Turkish club in any team sport. Efes Pilsen S.K. (later renamed Anadolu Efes S.K.) has also become a fixture in the European-wide top-tier level EuroLeague, making it to the competition's EuroLeague Final Four in 2000, and also to the FIBA SuproLeague's 2001 Final Four, and finishing 3rd on both occasions.Our Successes , efesbasket.org
In 2011, the club changed its name to Anadolu Efes S.K., after the TAPDK (Tobacco and Alcohol Market Regulatory Authority) in Turkey prohibited the advertisement of tobacco and alcohol products in sports organizations.Announcement , efesbasket.org
In the 2017–18 season, Efes finished in the 16th and last place in the EuroLeague.
In the 2018–19 season, Efes had success in the EuroLeague as it managed to clinch the fourth-seed in the regular season. In the play-offs, the team beat FC Barcelona to advance to its first EuroLeague Final Four in 19 years. In the semi-final, Efes beat Fenerbahçe 92–73 to reach its first EuroLeague Final in history. In the championship game, Efes was defeated by CSKA Moscow, eventually finishing as the runner-up. In the same season, Efes won its first BSL championship since 2009. In Game 7 of the Finals against Fenerbahçe, Efes won 89–74 after Shane Larkin scored 38 points. Larkin was later named BSL Finals MVP.
In the 2020–21 and 2021–22 seasons Anadolu Efes won back-to-back EuroLeague Championships. But later in the following 2022–23 EuroLeague season they had ended 11th place in the season and out of the playoff bound.
Home arenas Abdi İpekçi Arena: 1986–2010, 2012–2017 Sinan Erdem Dome: 2010–2012, 2017–2024 Basketball Development Centre: 2024–present
For many years, Efes has used the Abdi İpekçi Arena, with a seating capacity of 12,270, to host its home games. From 2017 to 2024, Efes uses the 16,000 seat Sinan Erdem Dome for its home games.
Since 2024, they used their newly opened arena Basketball Development Centre using their home games Players
Current roster
EuroLeague Depth chart
BSL Depth chart
Retired numbers Anadolu Efes retired numbersNoPlayerPositionTenureCeremony date 7 Petar Naumoski PG 1992–1994, 1995–1999 9 February 201744 Krunoslav Simon SG / SF 2017–2022 1 December 2022
Honours and other achievements Honours Type Competition Titles SeasonsInternationalEuroLeague2 2020–21, 2021–22FIBA Korać Cup1 1995–96VTB League Supercup1 2026 DomesticTurkish Super League 16 1978–79, 1982–83, 1983–84, 1991–92, 1992–93, 1993–94, 1995–96, 1996–97, 2001–02, 2002–03, 2003–04, 2004–05, 2008–09, 2018–19, 2020–21, 2022–23Turkish Cup 12 1993–94, 1995–96, 1996–97, 1997–98, 2000–01, 2001–02, 2005–06, 2006–07, 2008–09, 2014–15, 2018, 2022Turkish Presidential Cup 14 1986, 1992, 1993, 1996, 1998, 2000, 2006, 2009, 2010, 2015, 2018, 2019, 2022, 2024
Other Achievements International competitions EuroLeague Runners-up (1): 2018–19 3rd place (2): 1999–00, 2000–01 Final Four (5): 2000, 2001, 2019, 2021, 2022 FIBA Saporta Cup (defunct) Runners-up (1): 1992–93 Domestic competitions Turkish Super League Runners-up (13): 1985–86, 1997–98, 1998–99, 1999–00, 2000–01, 2005–06, 2006–07, 2009–10, 2011–12, 2014–15, 2015–16, 2021–22, 2023–24 Turkish Cup Runners-up (5): 2003–04, 2013–14, 2017, 2019, 2024 Turkish Presidential Cup Runners-up (11): 1994, 1997, 1999, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2012, 2016 Other competitions FIBA International Christmas Tournament (defunct) 3rd place (1): 1996
Sondrio, Italy Invitational Game Winners (1): 2008
Bandirma Invitational Game Winners (1): 2008
Sarajevo Invitational Game Winners (1): 2010
Istanbul, Turkey Invitational Game Winners (1): 2014
Αachen, Germany Basketball Tournament Winners (1): 1995
Crete Heraklion Basketball Tournament Winners (1): 2016
TUBAD Basketball Tournament Winners (1): 2018
Zadar Basketball Tournament Winners: 2019
Instabul Basketball Tournament Winners (1): 1995 Gloria Cup Winners (2): 2020, 2021
Notable players
Mustafa Abi Cenk Akyol Ender Arslan Volkan Aydın Birkan Batuk Hüseyin Beşok Erdal Bibo Onuralp Bitim Semih Erden Serkan Erdoğan Murat Evliyaoğlu Kerem Gönlüm Sinan Güler Ersan İlyasova Furkan Korkmaz İbrahim Kutluay Mehmet Okur Ömer Onan Cedi Osman Tamer Oyguç Kaya Peker Ufuk Sarıca Kerem Tunçeri Mirsad Türkcan Hedo Türkoğlu Alper Yılmaz Ermal Kuqo Bryant Dunston Brock Motum Stanko Barać Mario Kasun Damir Mulaomerović Zoran Planinić Marko Popović Nikola Prkačin Dario Šarić Krunoslav Simon Nikola Vujčić Ante Žižić Thomas Heurtel Adrien Moerman Stéphane Lasme Michalis Kakiouzis Stratos Perperoglou Kaspars Kambala Saulius Štombergas Predrag Drobnjak Petar Naumoski Vlado Šćepanović Milko Bjelica Goran Nikolić Slavko Vraneš Daniel Santiago Vasili Karasev Dušan Kecman Vasilije Micić Igor Rakočević Duško Savanović Zoran Savić Vladimir Štimac Zoran Dragić Jurica Golemac Edo Murić Boštjan Nachbar Alen Omić Sasha Vujačić Esteban Batista Josh Adams Derrick Alston Derrick Brown Marcus Brown Elijah Bryant Will Clyburn Chris Corchiani Bryce Cotton Jon Diebler Henry Domercant Justin Doellman Toney Douglas Erwin Dudley Jordan Farmar Jamon Gordon Antonio Granger Jayson Granger Kenny Green Kenny Gregory Marcus Haislip Tyler Honeycutt Matt Janning Brian Howard Trajan Langdon Ricky Ledo Anthony Mason Errick McCollum Conrad McRae Drew Nicholas Daniel Oturu Scoonie Penn Mark Pope Larry Richard Scott Roth Willie Solomon Charles Smith Preston Shumpert Deshaun Thomas Bootsy Thornton Alex Tyus Rickie Winslow Andrew Wisniewski Sonny Weems
Players at the NBA draft
Position Player Year Round Pick Drafted byPF Mirsad Türkcan19981st round18thHouston RocketsSF Hedo Türkoğlu20001st round16thSacramento KingsC/PF Mehmet Okur+20012nd round38thDetroit PistonsSG/SF Cenk Akyol#20052nd round59thAtlanta HawksSF Cedi Osman20152nd round31st Minnesota TimberwolvesSG/SF Furkan Korkmaz20161st round26th Philadelphia 76ers
Season by season SeasonTierDivisionPos.Cup competitions European Competitions1976–772 TB2L 1977–782 TB2L1st 1978–791 TBL1st 1979–801 TBL2nd EuroLeague1980–811 TBL3rd Cup Winners' Cup1981–821 TBL3rd Korać Cup1982–831 TBL1st Korać Cup1983–841 TBL1st EuroLeague1984–851 TBL5th EuroLeague1985–861 TBL2nd 1986–871 TBL3rd Cup Winners' Cup1987–881 TBL5th Korać Cup1988–891 TBL3rd Korać Cup1989–901 TBL4th Korać Cup 1990–911 TBL5th Korać Cup1991–921 TBL1st Played Korać Cup1992–931 TBL1st Saporta Cup 1993–941 TBL1stChampion EuroLeague 1994–951 TBL3rd EuroLeague1995–961 TBL1stChampionKorać Cup 1996–971 TBL1stChampion EuroLeague 1997–981 TBL2ndChampion EuroLeague 1998–991 TBL2nd EuroLeague 1999–001 TBL2nd Semifinalist EuroLeague 3rd2000–011 TBL2ndChampion SuproLeague 3rd2001–021 TBL1stChampion EuroLeague 2002–031 TBL1st Semifinalist EuroLeague 2003–041 TBL1stRunner-up EuroLeague 2004–051 TBL1st Quarterfinalist EuroLeague 2005–061 TBL2ndChampion EuroLeague 2006–071 TBL2ndChampion EuroLeague 2007–081 TBL4th Semifinalist EuroLeague 2008–091 TBL1stChampion EuroLeague 2009–101 TBL2nd Semifinalist EuroLeague 2010–111 TBL4th Quarterfinalist EuroLeague 2011–121 TBL2nd Semifinalist EuroLeague 2012–131 TBL3rd Quarterfinalist EuroLeague 2013–141 TBL5thRunner-up EuroLeague 2014–151 TBL2ndChampion EuroLeague 2015–161 BSL2nd Quarterfinalist EuroLeague 2016–171 BSL 3rdRunner-up EuroLeague 2017–181 BSL 3rdChampion EuroLeague 2018–191 BSL1stRunner-upEuroLeague 2019–201 BSL–Quarterfinalist EuroLeague 2020–211 BSL1st – EuroLeague 2021–221 BSL2ndChampion EuroLeague 2022–231 BSL1st – EuroLeague 2023–241 BSL2ndRunner-up EuroLeague 2024–251 BSL3rd Quarterfinalist EuroLeague 2025–261 BSL4th Semifinalist EuroLeague
Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Europe.
International record Season Achievement Notes EuroLeague 1993–94 Quarter-finals eliminated 2–1 by FC Barcelona, 50–54 (L) in Barcelona, 73–64 (W) and 62–76 (L) in Istanbul 1996–97 Quarter-finals eliminated 2–1 by ASVEL, 81–71 (W) in Istanbul, 70–80 (L) in Villeurbanne and 57–62 (L) in Istanbul 1997–98 Quarter-finals eliminated 2–1 by Benetton Treviso, 57–67 (L) in Treviso, 59–58 (W) in Istanbul and 68–76 (L) in Treviso 1998–99 Quarter-finals eliminated 2–0 by Žalgiris, 68–69 (L) in Kaunas and 70–84 (L) in Istanbul 1999–00 Final four 3rd place in Thessaloniki, lost to Panathinaikos 71–81 in the semi-final, defeated FC Barcelona 75–69 in the 3rd place game 2000–01 Final four 3rd place in Paris, lost to Panathinaikos 66–74 in the semi-final, defeated CSKA Moscow 91–85 in the 3rd place game 2004–05 Quarter-finals eliminated 2–1 by Panathinaikos, 96–102 (L) in Athens, 75–63 (W) in Istanbul and 76–84 (L) in Athens 2005–06 Quarter-finals eliminated 2–0 by CSKA Moscow, 57–66 (L) in Moscow and 71–75 (L) in Istanbul 2012–13 Quarter-finals eliminated 3–2 by Olympiacos, 62–67 (L) and 53-71 (L) in Piraeus, 83–72 (W) and 74–73 (W) in Istanbul, 72–82 (L) in Piraeus 2014–15 Quarter-finals eliminated 3–1 by Real Madrid, 71–80 (L) and 85–90 (L) in Madrid, 75–72 (W) and 63–76 (L) in Istanbul 2016–17 Quarter-finals eliminated 3–2 by Olympiacos, 87–72 (L) and 73–71 (W) in Piraeus, 64–60 (W) and 62–74 (L) in Istanbul, 78–87 (L) in Piraeus 2018–19 Final lost to CSKA Moscow 83–91 in the Final (Vitoria-Gasteiz) 2020–21 Champions defeated FC Barcelona 86–81 in the Final (Cologne) 2021–22 Champions defeated Real Madrid 58–57 in the Final (Belgrade) FIBA Saporta Cup 1980–81 Quarter-finals 4th place in a group with FC Barcelona, Turisanda Varese and Parker Leiden 1986–87 Quarter-finals 3rd place in a group with Cibona, Scavolini Pesaro and Maes Pils 1992–93 Final lost to Sato Aris 48–50 in the Final (Turin) FIBA Korać Cup 1989–90 Quarter-finals eliminated by Bosna, 91–107 (L) in Istanbul and 78–117 (L) in Sarajevo 1995–96 Champions defeated Stefanel Milano, 76–68 (W) in Istanbul and 70–77 (L) in Milan in the double finals of Korać Cup
Matches against NBA teams