Mirsad Türkcan (born Mirsad Jahović, sr-cyr, Мирсад Јаховић; on June 7, 1976) is a Turkish former professional

basketball Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular court, compete with the primary objective of shooting a basketball (approximately in diameter) through the defender's h ...

player of Bosniak origin. Standing at a height of , he played at the

power forward The power forward (PF), also known as the four, is one of the five traditional positions in a regulation basketball game. Traditionally, power forwards have played a role similar to centers. When on offense, they typically play with their ba ...

position. A three-time

All-EuroLeague Team The All-EuroLeague Team is an award for Europe's premier level league, the EuroLeague, that is given to the league's top ten basketball players for each season, since the 2000–01 season. During the FIBA era of the EuroLeague, players were honor ...

member, he is also the fifth best rebounder in the EuroLeague, since the year 2000, with 1,287 total rebounds. Born in

Novi Pazar Novi Pazar ( sr-cyr, Нови Пазар, lit. "New Bazaar"; ) is a city located in the Raška District of southwestern Serbia. As of the 2011 census, the urban area has 66,527 inhabitants, while the city administrative area has 100,410 inhabit ...

SR Serbia , life_span = 1944–1992 , status = Constituent state of Yugoslavia , p1 = Territory of the Military Commander in Serbia , flag_p1 = Flag of German Reich (1935–1945).svg , p2 ...

, he moved to play basketball in Turkey. At the same time, he also obtained Turkish citizenship, and started playing international basketball with the senior Turkish national team. In 1999, he became the first Turkish basketball player to play in the

National Basketball Association The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a professional basketball league in North America. The league is composed of 30 teams (29 in the United States and 1 in Canada) and is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United St ...

(NBA). In the EuroLeague, Türkcan amassed total of 50 double doubles, and is one of only three players since the year 2000, to record a 20- point, 20- rebound game (27 points and 23 rebounds). He led the EuroLeague in rebounding five times. He was nominated for the EuroLeague 2001–10 All-Decade Team, but he did not make the final list. He became a EuroLeague Legend in 2017.

Professional career

Early years

Türkcan grew up with Efes Pilsen's junior teams, and he made his professional debut with the Efes Pilsen senior men's team, during the 1994–95 season. He won two

Turkish Super League Turkish may refer to: *a Turkic language spoken by the Turks * of or about Turkey ** Turkish language *** Turkish alphabet ** Turkish people, a Turkic ethnic group and nation *** Turkish citizen, a citizen of Turkey *** Turkish communities an ...

championships, in the 1995–96 and 1996–97 seasons with Efes.

NBA

Türkcan was selected by the Houston Rockets in the

1998 NBA Draft The 1998 NBA draft took place on June 24, 1998, at General Motors Place in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. This draft helped turn around four struggling franchises: the Dallas Mavericks, the Sacramento Kings, the Boston Celtics, and the To ...

. A few days after the draft night, he said in an interview: "This is a big step for me, but I played in Turkey, and I am the first Turkish player to come into the NBA. This is very important for me, for my family, and for my country." Because of the

1998–99 NBA lockout The 1998–99 NBA lockout was the third lockout of four in the history of the National Basketball Association (NBA). It lasted from July 1, 1998, to January 20, 1999, and forced the 1998–99 regular season to be shortened to 50 games per team ...

, he returned to Istanbul, continuing to play for Efes Pilsen. Later, his rights were traded to the Philadelphia 76ers, in January 1999, and then to the New York Knicks, in March. He eventually signed with the Knicks, and debuted in the 1999–00 season, in which he played in only 7 games. After being waived in February 2000, he finished his NBA adventure by playing 10 games for the

Milwaukee Bucks The Milwaukee Bucks are an American professional basketball team based in Milwaukee. The Bucks compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Central Division. The team was founded in 1968 ...

Return to Europe

In January 2001, Türkcan moved to France, signing for the remainder of the season with

Paris Basket Racing Paris Basket Racing, or PBR, was a French professional basketball club from Paris. It was founded in 1922, as the basketball section of the multi-sports club Racing Club de Paris. The team took the name "Paris Basket Racing" in 2000. In 2007, the ...

. He then signed a contract with the Russian club

CSKA Moscow CSKA Moscow (russian: ЦСКА Москва) is a Russian sports club based in Moscow. It was created in 1911 in the Russian Empire on base of OLLS (Skiing Society, founded 1901). Later, during the Soviet era, it was a central piece of the big So ...

, for the 2001–02 season. He signed a contract with the Italian club

Montepaschi Siena Mens Sana 1871 Basket is an Italian professional basketball club based in Siena. It is a section of the sports club Polisportiva Mens Sana, founded in 1871. Under the name Montepaschi Siena, derived from sponsor Banca Monte dei Paschi di Siena, ...

, for the 2002–03 season. He moved back to Russia for the 2003–04 season, being again signed by

. Türkcan then played with Dynamo Moscow of the Russian Championship, in the 2004–05 season. In the summer of 2006, he signed a contract with the Turkish team Fenerbahçe. During the EuroLeague 2008–09 season, he became the first basketball player to amass at least 1,000 total rebounds in the EuroLeague, since the start of the 2000–01 season. In the summer of 2009, he extended his contract with the Turkish club for the next two seasons. In February 2011, Türkcan ruptured the anterior cruciate ligaments in his left knee, during the

Turkish Cup The Turkish Cup ( Turkish: ''Türkiye Kupası'') is a football cup competition in Turkish football, run by the Turkish Football Federation since 1962. During a brief sponsorship period with Fortis, its sponsored name was ''Fortis Türkiye Kupas� ...

final, and because of that, he missed the rest of the season. In July 2012, it was reported that Türkcan would announce his retirement, after 19 years of playing professional basketball. Türkcan ended his playing career with a farewell exhibition game, in September 2012.

Career statistics

EuroLeague

, - , style="text-align:left;", 2001–02 , style="text-align:left;",

, 17 , , 15 , , 33.6 , , .517 , , .333 , , .709 , , style="background:#CFECEC;", 12.8 , , 2.1 , , 1.2 , , 1.2 , , 17.6 , , style="background:#CFECEC;", 25.8 , - , style="text-align:left;", 2002–03 , style="text-align:left;", Montepaschi , 21 , , 21 , , 35.6 , , .520 , , .473 , , .707 , , style="background:#CFECEC;", 11.8 , , 2.1 , , 2.1 , , .8 , , 14.6 , , style="background:#CFECEC;", 24.0 , - , style="text-align:left;", 2003–04 , style="text-align:left;", CSKA Moscow , 20 , , 18 , , 25.6 , , .443 , , .245 , , .681 , , 10.4 , , 1.1 , , .8 , , .3 , , 9.9 , , 17.4 , - , style="text-align:left;", 2005–06 , style="text-align:left;", Ülkerspor , 16 , , 11 , , 29.7 , , .451 , , .320 , , .768 , , style="background:#CFECEC;", 8.9 , , 1.5 , , 1.4 , , .5 , , 11.7 , , 17.3 , - , style="text-align:left;", 2006–07 , style="text-align:left;", Fenerbahçe , 11 , , 10 , , 25.9 , , .419 , , .231 , , .750 , , 9.2 , , 1.1 , , 1.2 , , .6 , , 8.1 , , 14.5 , - , style="text-align:left;", 2007–08 , style="text-align:left;", Fenerbahçe , 12 , , 7 , , 27.2 , , .436 , , .241 , , .793 , , 9.2 , , 1.3 , , .6 , , .8 , , 9.8 , , 14.7 , - , style="text-align:left;", 2008–09 , style="text-align:left;", Fenerbahçe , 14 , , 11 , , 27.4 , , .489 , , .513 , , .833 , , style="background:#CFECEC;", 8.6 , , 1.1 , , .6 , , .4 , , 15.4 , , 19.4 , - , style="text-align:left;", 2009–10 , style="text-align:left;", Fenerbahçe , 1 , , 0 , , 10.3 , , .250 , , .000 , , .000 , , 2.0 , , .0 , , .0 , , .0 , , 2.0 , , .0 , - , style="text-align:left;",

2010–11 1 (one, unit, unity) is a number representing a single or the only entity. 1 is also a numerical digit and represents a single unit of counting or measurement. For example, a line segment of ''unit length'' is a line segment of length 1. ...

, style="text-align:left;", Fenerbahçe , 12 , , 0 , , 21.0 , , .474 , , .361 , , .400 , , style="background:#CFECEC;", 7.3 , , .8 , , .8 , , .2 , , 7.9 , , 11.8 , - , style="text-align:left;", 2011–12 , style="text-align:left;", Fenerbahçe , 5 , , 0 , , 16.8 , , .316 , , .200 , , 1.000 , , 9.6 , , 1.0 , , .4 , , .0 , , 3.4 , , 9.6 , - class="sortbottom" , style="text-align:left;", Career , style="text-align:left;", , 129 , , 93 , , 28.3 , , .474 , , .345 , , .726 , , 10.0 , , 1.4 , , 1.1 , , .6 , , 11.8 , , 18.3

NBA

Regular season

, - , style="text-align:left;", 1999–00 , style="text-align:left;", New York , 7 , , 0 , , 3.6 , , .200 , , .000 , , .000 , , 1.4 , , .1 , , .3 , , .0 , , .6 , - , style="text-align:left;", 1999–00 , style="text-align:left;",

Milwaukee Milwaukee ( ), officially the City of Milwaukee, is both the most populous and most densely populated city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin and the county seat of Milwaukee County. With a population of 577,222 at the 2020 census, Milwaukee ...

, 10 , , 0 , , 6.5 , , .429 , , .000 , , .625 , , 2.3 , , .4 , , .1 , , .1 , , 2.9 , - , style="text-align:left;", Career , style="text-align:left;", , 17 , , 0 , , 5.3 , , .368 , , .000 , , .625 , , 1.9 , , .3 , , .2 , , .1 , , 1.9

Playoffs

, - , style="text-align:left;", 1999–00 , style="text-align:left;",

, 2 , , 0 , , 5.0 , , .200 , , .000 , , 1.000 , , 1.0 , , .0 , , .0 , , .0 , , 2.0 , - , style="text-align:left;", Career , style="text-align:left;", , 2 , , 0 , , 5.0 , , .200 , , .000 , , 1.000 , , 1.0 , , .0 , , .0 , , .0 , , 2.0

National team career

Türkcan was a member of the senior Turkish national team that won the silver medal at the

EuroBasket 2001 The 2001 FIBA European Championship, commonly called FIBA EuroBasket 2001, was the 32nd FIBA EuroBasket regional basketball championship held by FIBA Europe, which also served as Europe qualifier for the 2002 FIBA World Championship, giving a be ...

. He also played with Turkey's senior national team at the following major international tournaments: the

EuroBasket 1995 The 1995 FIBA European Championship, commonly called FIBA EuroBasket 1995, was the 29th FIBA EuroBasket regional basketball championship held by FIBA Europe, which also served as Europe qualifier for the 1996 Summer Olympics, giving a berth to ea ...

, the

EuroBasket 1997 The 1997 FIBA European Championship, commonly called FIBA EuroBasket 1997, was the 30th FIBA EuroBasket regional basketball championship held by FIBA Europe, which also served as Europe qualifier for the 1998 FIBA World Championship, giving a ber ...

, the

EuroBasket 1999 The 1999 FIBA European Championship, commonly called FIBA EuroBasket 1999, was the 31st FIBA EuroBasket regional basketball championship held by FIBA Europe, which also served as Europe qualifier for the 2000 Olympic Tournament, giving a berth ...

, the

2002 FIBA World Championship The 2002 FIBA World Championship was the 14th edition of the competition now known as the FIBA Basketball World Cup, the international world championship for men's basketball teams. The tournament held by the International Basketball Federation i ...

, the

EuroBasket 2003 The 2003 FIBA European Championship, commonly called FIBA EuroBasket 2003, was the 33rd FIBA EuroBasket regional basketball championship held by FIBA Europe, which also served as the Europe qualifier for the 2004 Summer Olympics, giving a berth ...

, and the

EuroBasket 2005 The 2005 FIBA European Championship, commonly called FIBA EuroBasket 2005, was the 34th FIBA EuroBasket regional basketball championship held by FIBA Europe. It also served as Europe qualifier for the 2006 FIBA World Championship, giving a berth ...

Personal life

Mirsad Jahović was born in

Serbia Serbia (, ; Serbian: , , ), officially the Republic of Serbia (Serbian: , , ), is a landlocked country in Southeastern and Central Europe, situated at the crossroads of the Pannonian Basin and the Balkans. It shares land borders with Hungar ...

to Bosniak parents. He is known for various philanthropic and humanitarian activities in his hometown. His sister,

Emina Jahović Emilija "Emina" Jahović (, ; born 15 January 1982), also known mononymously as Emina, is a Serbian- Turkish singer-songwriter, actress and businesswoman of Bosniak origin. Born and raised in Novi Pazar, she rose to prominence through music fes ...

, is a pop singer, and the former wife of singer

Mustafa Sandal Mustafa Sandal (born 11 January 1970) is a Turkish singer-songwriter. At the beginning of the 1990s, he wrote and composed a number of songs for other singers and made a reputation for himself in the music industry. In 1994, with the release of h ...

. Türkcan is known to have financially helped jump start her recording career. On December 18, 2005, Mirsad married then 19-year-old

Dina Džanković Dina Džanković ( sr, Дина Џанковић; born 27 October 1986) is a Serbian-Bosniak beauty pageant titleholder, who won the title of 2005 Miss Serbia and Montenegro on 18 December 2005. She is the last person to have this title due to t ...

, his girlfriend of the time of five months, and the 2005 Miss Serbia and Montenegro. They have three children together; two girls, Naba and Karia, and a boy, Nusret. The couple divorced in 2012.Razveli se Mirsad Turkdžan i Dina Džanković!
January 2012 In 2015, Mirsad married Dušica Drljević, who gave birth to their son, Rejjan Mete, the same year.

Awards and accomplishments

Professional career

* 5×

Turkish Super Cup The Turkish Super Cup ( Turkish: ''TFF Süper Kupa''), as it is currently known, is the annual super cup football match contested between the previous season's Süper Lig champions and the Turkish Cup winners in Turkey. It was originally known ...

Winner: (1993, 1996, 1998, 2006, 2007) * 6×

Winner: (1994, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2010, 2011) * 8×

Champion: (1994, 1996, 1997, 2006, 2007,

2008 File:2008 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: Lehman Brothers went bankrupt following the Subprime mortgage crisis; Cyclone Nargis killed more than 138,000 in Myanmar; A scene from the opening ceremony of the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing; ...

, 2010, 2011) *

FIBA Korać Cup The FIBA Korać Cup was an annual basketball club competition held by FIBA between the 1971–72 and 2001–02 seasons. It was the third-tier level club competition in European basketball, after the FIBA European Champions' Cup (later renamed th ...

Champion: (1996) * 2×

EuroLeague Final Four The EuroLeague Final Four is the final four format championship of the European-wide top-tier level EuroLeague professional club basketball competition. The Euroleague Basketball Company used the final four format for the first time in 2002, f ...

Participant: ( 2003, 2004) * Russian League Champion: (2004)

Individual

EuroLeague Regular Season MVP The EuroLeague Regular Season and Top 16 MVP were awards that were given out by the top-tier level European-wide men's professional club basketball league, the EuroLeague. The EuroLeague initially gave out MVP awards for both the "regular seaso ...

: ( 2002) *

EuroLeague Top 16 MVP The EuroLeague Regular Season and Top 16 MVP were awards that were given out by the top-tier level European-wide men's professional club basketball league, the EuroLeague. The EuroLeague initially gave out MVP awards for both the "regular seaso ...

: ( 2003) * 3×

: **

All-EuroLeague First Team The All-EuroLeague Team is an award for Europe's premier level league, the EuroLeague, that is given to the league's top ten basketball players for each season, since the 2000–01 season. During the FIBA era of the EuroLeague, players were honor ...

: ( 2004) ** 2× All-EuroLeague Second Team: ( 2002– 2003) * 5× Rebound leader of the EuroLeague: ( 2002, 2003, 2006, 2009, 2011) * Rebound leader of the Italian League: (2003) * Rebound leader of the

Russian Super League Russian(s) refers to anything related to Russia, including: *Russians (, ''russkiye''), an ethnic group of the East Slavic peoples, primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries * Rossiyane (), Russian language term for all citizens and pe ...

: (2005) * Number 6 jersey retired by Fenerbahçe: (2012) * EuroLeague Legend: (2017)

Professional career

Early years

NBA

Return to Europe

Career statistics

EuroLeague

NBA

Regular season

Playoffs

National team career

Personal life

Awards and accomplishments

Professional career

Individual

Notes

References

External links