By Can Pelister

 

After players like Memo Okur, Omer Asik and Enes Kanter, another bigman from Turkey is yet to come to the NBA. Egemen Guven, who was member of champion Turkey U16 and U18 NT teams past two summers, is now getting minutes with Pinar Karsiyaka senior team in exhibition games. Guven is definetely one of the top prospects of Europe in 1996 generation.

Today he shined once again with Pinar Karsiyaka senior team against ALBA Berlin, finishing game with 8 points (4/5 2PT), 1 block and 1 steal in 9 minutes of action. He also scored 10 points against another German team, EWE Baskets Oldenburg, in 21 minutes last week. Standing at 6-9, Guven has really long arms and with his excellent wingspan he is a great rim protector on defensive end (he averaged 3 blocks in U18 Turkey Championship last season). Controls his long body very well. He is quite mobile player for a center, having great basketball IQ. Most important thing about him, he can shoot the ball. Not like Omer Asik or Nuggets draftee Furkan Aldemir (he also grew up in Karsiyaka). With his post-move skills, he can create lot of points around the basket.

So, don’t forget this name. From this year he’s going to get some minutes in high level and of course all big Turkish teams like Fenerbahce are pursuing him already!

Twitter of the author: @canpelister

Photo: FIBA Europe / Romans Koksarovs