Omer Yurtseven talks comeback to Fenerbahce, rates PAO's rebuild / News - Basketnews.com

Yurtseven said he'd like to return to Fenerbahce but only when he feels his time in the NBA is done. He complimented Panathinaikos for signing Kyle Guy but was wary to evaluate the entire PAO roster.

Credit: Douglas P. DeFelice/Getty Images Credit Douglas P. DeFelice/Getty Images

Omer Yurtseven had a difficult year in the NBA. Even though he played in just 9 games last season, he recently signed a two-year deal with the Utah Jazz.

Omer Yurtseven

Position:CAge:25Height:213 cmWeight:120 kgBirth place:Tashkent, UzbekistanProfileNewsStatistics

In an interview with Christos Tsaltas from Sportal.gr, the Turkish big man shared that he thinks he's approaching his prime and has to take advantage of it on the other side of the Atlantic no matter how much playing time he gets.

"Competitively and mentally I think I'm there and I have to stay there as long as I can. I'm in my second year of being in my prime and I consider these years to be extremely important for me," he told.

After he was let go by the Miami Heat, rumors started spreading about his possible comeback to Europe and Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul in particular.

"I want to be the best player that I can be. To be able to get to that level, I'm going to have to be as competitive as I can to push myself to the limit, and the challenge that the NBA brings only helps players like me. That day will come in the future and I hope to return home to Fenerbahce, but first I have a big mission to handle and reach the goals I set," Yurtseven shared.

The previous summer was eventful for the big man. He had a public conflict with the head coach of the Turkish national team Ergin Ataman. The two went at each other after Yurtseven refused to arrive at the training camp before EuroBasket 2022.

Despite the fact, the hatchet has been buried, it seems. Yurtseven has been included in the list of players that will compete in the Olympic Games Pre-Qualifiers Tournament in Istanbul in August.

Ataman, meanwhile, is orchestrating a complete rebuild of the Panathinaikos Athens roster. One of the players that was newly signed was Kyle Guy, a guard Yurtseven has played with.

"He's an amazing guy with great energy and very positive. He is a great teammate and I think his energy and shooting ability can help any team, especially in the EuroLeague where teams are so dependent on defense and offense, and size on the floor plays a role," he explained. "

Asked to rate Ataman's job with Panathinaikos during the offseason, Yurtseven was careful to praise the roster.

"Nobody knows until the season starts. Time will tell because there've been great teams that didn't go far, and there've been great teams that went far. You'll have to see what happens. He has done an excellent job and can be very successful," the player concluded.

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