Željko Obradović
Widely regarded as the greatest and most decorated coach in the history of European basketball. For Efe, he is not someone he has worked with — he is a standard. A role model. The picture of what a lifetime of discipline, humility and mastery of the game looks like.
A standard the whole of Europe measures itself against.
Željko Obradović has won the EuroLeague nine times — with Partizan, Joventut, Real Madrid, Panathinaikos and Fenerbahçe. No coach in the history of the competition has come close. His teams are known for their defensive discipline, their preparation, their toughness in the biggest games, and the extraordinary demand he places on every single player in the rotation.
He earned it on the floor first.
Before the coaching career, Obradović was a Yugoslav international point guard — a World Champion in 1990 and a European Champion in 1991. He knows the game from inside the huddle and from inside the jersey, which is why his players say he sees things nobody else does.
A role model, not a coach he's had — a coach he studies.
Efe grew up in Türkiye during the Fenerbahçe era, watching Obradović's teams week after week. What stuck was not just the trophies — it was the culture: relentless preparation, respect for the game, no shortcuts, no ego above the team. That is the model Efe carries into every gym.
"You watch his teams and you understand what basketball is supposed to look like. That's the level. That's what you chase."