Ergin Ataman leaves most Turkish players in Istanbul, travels with two / News - Basketnews.com

Head coach Ergin Ataman will only bring Bugrahan Tuncer and Omercan Ilyasoglu to Lithuania to face off against Zalgiris Kaunas. The rest will remain in Istanbul to practice once again.

Credit: BNS Credit BNS

Even though Anadolu Efes Istanbul received a fine from the EuroLeague for forcing the club's local players to undergo a vigorous practice routine during a double week, head coach Ergin Ataman doesn't seem to change his mind.

Anadolu Efes Istanbul / Schedule

Anadolu Efes Istanbul Olympiacos Piraeus82-71 Zalgiris Kaunas Anadolu Efes IstanbulFri18:00 Anadolu Efes Istanbul Cazoo Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz12-1417:30

According to Umit Avci from Milliyet, the Turkish club is going to bring just two Turkish players to the EuroLeague match against Zalgiris Kaunas on Friday. Only Bugrahan Tuncer and Omercan Ilyasoglu will travel with the team.

Throughout recent weeks, the flamboyant head coach has been in a standoff with the team's Turkish players. For example, only two (Ilyasoglu and Erten Gazi) were registered for the home match against Olympiacos Piraeus last week, and even though the team did not have to travel anywhere for the match, Ataman rolled with just 11 players.

The week before, Efes travelled to face Virtus Segafredo Bologna and Ilyasoglu was the only local player that participated even though there are six Turkish players registered in total in the EuroLeague.

The coach has talked about some players needing to work harder in order to meet the standard that Efes hold.

"Only players who are out of shape need to work harder. This is the rule of the sport. Athletes cannot keep their form without practicing," the coach has said earlier about leaving the local players in Istanbul. "The players that didn't play in the EuroLeague this week were kept in Istanbul and followed an intense training program."

"This club is the club of winners and those who put their best to win. We will continue to win but those who do not have this mentality will no longer be able to wear the Anadolu Efes jersey," Ataman told after a loss against Pinar Karsiyaka last week.

Former Turkish basketball player Ibrahim Kutluay agreed with Ataman as well.

"I think he's right. Because the players are already complaining that they can't play, they can't get game time. And when they do get playing time, they don't perform well. They also complain about practice. How will you develop and play?" he said.

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