Basketball in Turkey: Hedo Türkoğlu, EuroLeague Nights and Where to Watch

Istanbul is one of the great basketball cities of Europe. Two of its clubs, Fenerbahçe and Anadolu Efes, have won the EuroLeague. On game nights, their arenas are as loud as any football stadium. Turkey has also sent stars to the NBA, starting with Hedo Türkoğlu. Later came Mehmet Okur, an NBA champion with Detroit in 2004, and Alperen Şengün, an NBA All-Star with Houston in 2025. If you love the game, basketball in Turkey is easy to add to your trip.

Hedo Türkoğlu and Basketball in Turkey

Hidayet “Hedo” Türkoğlu, born in 1979, began at Efes Pilsen in Istanbul. There, he helped the team reach the 2000 EuroLeague Final Four. That summer, the Sacramento Kings drafted him with the 16th pick. Consequently, he became the first Turkish-born player in NBA history.

In all, he played fifteen seasons in the NBA. With the Orlando Magic, he won the league’s Most Improved Player award for 2007–08. Then, in 2009, he played in the NBA Finals. Later, in October 2016, he became president of the Turkish Basketball Federation.

The Great Clubs of Basketball in Turkey

Fenerbahçe

Fenerbahçe set up its basketball team in 1913, the first basketball team inside a sports club in the Ottoman Empire. Then, in 2017, it became the first Turkish club to win the EuroLeague, and it won again in 2025. Today it plays at its own Ülker Sports Arena.

Anadolu Efes

Anadolu Efes, known as Efes Pilsen until 2011, dates from 1976. It won the EuroLeague in 2021 and 2022. Its home is the Basketball Development Center in Zeytinburnu, opened in 2024, and it has a fierce rivalry with Fenerbahçe. In 2026–27, it also hosts Beşiktaş, the third Istanbul club in the EuroLeague.

Beşiktaş

Beşiktaş has played its EuroLeague home games at the same arena in the 2026–27 season. On October 2, 2026, 8,500 fans watched it meet FC Barcelona there. On December 16, Beşiktaş hosts Olimpia Milan in the EuroLeague.

When is the basketball season in Turkey?

The EuroLeague regular season runs from late September to mid-April. In 2026–27, the first round tips off on September 24, 2026, and the last falls on April 16, 2027. Alongside it, the Istanbul clubs also play in the Turkish Basketball Super League. So from autumn to spring, Istanbul often has a big game in the same week as your visit.

How do you get tickets for a EuroLeague game in Istanbul?

Each club sells its own tickets, and some games need a fan card. We arrange your tickets through our connections, so tell us your dates early for the derbies and the big visiting clubs. On our Istanbul basketball game tour, we arrange your seats and take you to the arena and back.

What should you know before a game night in Istanbul?

The two arenas lie on opposite sides of the city. The Ülker Sports Arena stands in Ataşehir, on the Asian side. The Basketball Development Center, by contrast, is in Zeytinburnu, on the European side. So check which arena your game is in before you book a hotel or a ride. Tip-off is in the evening, and we confirm the exact time for your game. Then plan the ride home in advance.

Which other sports nights can you see in Istanbul?

Basketball shares the winter with volleyball. In the Sultanlar Ligi, often called the best women’s volleyball league in the world, Istanbul clubs such as VakıfBank, Eczacıbaşı, Fenerbahçe and Beşiktaş play from roughly autumn to spring; read volleyball in Turkey. Then, for football, three great clubs share the city. So on a long weekend, you can often see two different sports. Our Istanbul football match tour handles match day.

Watch Basketball in Turkey With Us

Would you like to see a EuroLeague night in Istanbul? Our Istanbul basketball game tour takes you there: send us your dates, and we will check which EuroLeague nights fall in them, book the tickets and get you to the arena and back. Our concierge service arranges it, together with volleyball or a football match if your dates allow. For more sport in Turkey, read about Arda Güler and Zeynep Sönmez.