Turkey U20 — The Place He Earned but Could Not Take
Four years of work, seven preparation games, one starting spot — and an administrative line that changed everything, hours before tip-off.
The 2026 FIBA U20 European Championship should have marked one of the proudest moments of Efe Postel's young career.
After an outstanding preparation period, Efe earned his place in the Turkish U20 National Team entirely on merit. He participated in every stage of the national team's preparation, played in all seven official preparation games, established himself as the team's starting point guard and became an important part of the coaching staff's plans for the tournament.
His performances during the preparation campaign confirmed the confidence placed in him by the Turkish coaching staff.
The team travelled to Ljubljana, Slovenia, where Efe completed all official pre-tournament activities, including FIBA Media Day and the official team photo session.
Only few days before Turkey's opening game, an unexpected administrative issue arose concerning his national team registration.
Although the Netherlands Basketball Federation had formally authorised Efe in January 2023 to represent Turkey in future FIBA National Team competitions, and although he had subsequently been selected and participated with the Turkish National Team throughout the entire preparation campaign, it was ultimately determined that the FIBA registration system still reflected his previous Dutch national team status.
As a consequence, Efe was declared ineligible to participate in the championship only hours before the opening game.
The misfortune may have extended even further. Rumors later circulated suggesting that the Turkish Basketball Federation may have been allowed to submit a late request for exceptional or special consideration in an attempt to resolve the matter but it could have been the case that this request was submitted... too late... very unfortunate, to say the least.
The disappointment was immense — not only for Efe and his family, but also for his teammates and coaching staff, who had selected him on merit and counted on him as an important member of the team.
Despite receiving what he later described as the most difficult news of his sporting career, Efe's first reaction was not to think about himself.
Instead, he told his father: "I will do everything I can to help Turkey win this tournament."
That sentence reflects the values that define him as both a player and a person.
While this chapter ended in heartbreaking circumstances, it does not diminish what was achieved.
Earning a place in one of Europe's strongest U20 national teams, becoming its starting point guard during preparation and representing Turkey throughout the build-up to the championship remain significant milestones in Efe's development.
Sometimes, the greatest setbacks become the foundation for the greatest opportunities.
We firmly believe this chapter is not the end of a dream, but simply the beginning of an even greater one.
What was earned cannot be erased. The jersey was earned. The starting spot was earned. The trust of teammates and coaches was earned. The next chapter begins here.