By Can Pelister

 

Turkish prospect James Metecan Birsen (’95) was considered top, maybe even the best player of 1995 generation nearly a year ago. When you enter Eurohopes.com now, you can’t see his name on 1995 Top 5 ranking now. So what happened? Let’s take an exclusive look at his reportedly bad year.

Being MVP, especially in a tournament like NIJT, is really special and great accomplishment for any young basketball player. But at the same time, it gives you lot of responsibilities. And of course being MVP builds a lot of pressure around you. For example, James Birsen was introduced as new Hedo Turkoglu in Turkey after the NIJT tournament. When he was named MVP of this tournament in Istanbul, everything seemed great and everybody in Turkey was really high on him as well. But after things went not like Birsen would like, everybody started to criticize him. As legendary coach John Wooden says: “young people need models, not critics”.

At the beginning of the season, James Birsen was loaned to Second League team, Istanbul BSB. It seemed like a great plan, but it turned out Fenerbahce committed a mistake forcing Birsen to play for Fenerbahce U18 and senior team too. For a 18year old player, playing for 3 teams was really big mistake. 3 different teams, 3 different coaches, 3 different systems, 3 different leagues, 3 different environments, 3 different gyms. Actually Metecan played several games with Fenerbahce U18 team in Istanbul. But, again, Fenerbahce forgot something: He’s not senior team player yet, he have 1 more year with U18 team. Of course it’s great to loan him to a second league team and get him to the Fenerbahce senior team, it adds a lot of experience to young player. But do not forget, James Birsen came to NIJT Rome with only several practices and games with U18 team, without developed chemistry and lost self-confidence.  Nobody can be best player with only one great tournament.  In IBB it happened to him that Birsen didn’t play at all occasionally. At that time IBB was trying to avoid relegation from the league. Moreover, nobody could ask, “why Metecan is not playing?” Because IBB is not a farm team of Fenerbahce.

Let’s take a look at the development of another Turkish prospect Cedi Osman (’95). At the beginning of the season Anadolu Efes executives made a decision: Cedi Osman done with youth team. He will only practice and play with Anadolu Efes senior team and its farm team, Pertevniyal in second league. Although Pertevniyal was eventuallyrelegated from the league, as individual, Osman gained lot of experience this year, improving his frame as well, by the way. Probably we will see him in senior team of Anadolu Efes next year. If you want to take somebody from youth teams, you have to do it in right way. You have take him out completely.

What Fenerbahce Ulker trying to do now? They’re trying to recruit Kenan Sipahi ('95). I was told he has principle agreement with Fenerbahce already. Kenan is very talented player and would be a great get for each team. If Galatasaray sign him, I will understand it. Because when I look at Galatasaray youth team, can’t see any potential senior team player. But if you have Berk Ugurlu ('96) and James Birsen in your youth teams, you have to be more focused on those guys, don’t you?

 

Metecan will have so many chances, he’s only 18-year old and the sky is limit. So saying that ongoing U18 European Championship are his “last chance” could be wrong. But he has a chance to back on truck and confirm he’s still NBA-caliber prospect. Because Metecan is still the same, talented player. Guy who knows basketball and reads the game very well. Maybe this year was bad for him but he added strength and upgraded his size, not it’s time to settle down and regain self-confidence.

Photo: FIBA Europe