National Team Secures Qualifiers Advancement

The Turkish national basketball team defeated Serbia 94-86 in the FIBA 2027 World Cup European Qualifiers 1st Round Group C, guaranteeing their advancement to the second round. Following the match at the Turkcell Basketball Development Center, Turkish Basketball Federation (TBF) President Hidayet Türkoğlu expressed his congratulations and optimism for the future of the sport in Turkey.

Türkoğlu Praises Team Effort and Support

Türkoğlu lauded the team’s performance, stating, First of all, we would like to congratulate our coach and our athlete friends. 12 Dev Adam continued its rising trend over the last year in this match as well. I believe we have made our millions of fans here and on screen proud. He as well acknowledged the support received from key figures, adding, We cannot thank our President enough for calling us during this process. Our esteemed Minister was always with our team. I hope we continue like this.

He further emphasized his belief in the team’s potential, saying, Turkish basketball will rise higher every day with these young friends of ours.

Commitment to Player Development and National Pride

Türkoğlu highlighted the dedication and unity within the team, noting, Everyone is willingly becoming a part of this team, regardless of injury or making excuses. A good atmosphere has been created. Everyone wants to be a part of this team. He also expressed gratitude to Turkish clubs for their consistent support, stating, We also thank our clubs that have always supported us. They have never left us alone. This is a source of pride for us. I hope Turkish basketball will reach to the place it deserves.

Efforts to Secure Tarık Biberovic’s Eligibility

The TBF President also addressed the ongoing efforts to secure Turkish status for national player Tarık Biberovic, praising his performance and thanking Fenerbahçe for their support. It is necessary to open a separate parenthesis for Tarık. He acted like a part of this family. We necessitate to thank Fenerbahce. We want to take more solid initiatives and remove this obstacle. We believe that then we will make ourselves stronger.

Looking Ahead

Hidayet Türkoğlu, who has been President of the Turkish Basketball Federation since 2016, is also currently serving as Chief Advisor to the President of the Republic of Turkey. He won the NBA’s Most Improved Player award for the 2007-08 season and played 15 seasons in the NBA for six different teams. He was elected to the FIBA Hall of Fame in December 2025, becoming the first Turkish athlete to receive this honor.