Sports
Turkish NBA star Şengün aims for EuroBasket medal, US championship
Turkish NBA star Alperen Şengün, the Houston Rockets’ standout center, said he is aiming for both an NBA championship and a medal at the 2025 European Championship for his country.
Speaking to Anadolu, Şengün, 23, who earned his first All-Star selection last season, said that in the face of huge challenges in the NBA, he tackled them by upping his game each season.
The best part about taking part in the All-Star Game, he said, was that his family also experienced his excitement and that this made him proud.
“When I left Türkiye for the NBA, many people told me; ‘Don’t go to the NBA.’ My goal was to improve my body, my language, and my basketball skills,” he recounted.
“Staying in the NBA isn’t easy because 60 new players arrive every season. Only those who work hard manage to stay. Knowing this, I’ve focused on improving myself and my game every season.”
This process was successful, as Şengün got through his fourth year in the NBA and now has entered his fifth.
Last year he inked a new five-year contract with the Houston Rockets, in addition to being a member of the Turkish National Basketball Team since 2020.
Despite being a relatively young team, he said, the Rockets haven’t done badly, and this season they added more experienced players.
“We’re ready for the new season,” he added.
Eyes on NBA title
Şengün said they’re hoping to repeat the Rockets’ previous successes, as they won their last NBA championship in 1995.
He stressed his determination ahead of the new season, saying: “Everyone is working hard. We want to make our mark this season and continue in the playoffs. Hopefully, we’ll see a more focused, ‘winning Alperen’ in the new season.”
Şengün also spoke of his thrill to play alongside NBA superstar Kevin Durant, emphasizing the impact Durant can have regardless of his age.
“I’m excited to play with Durant. Everyone is excited to play with him. It doesn’t matter his age – ultimately, he’s Kevin Durant. I have no doubt he will bring a lot to the team,” Şengün said, expressing confidence in what the veteran forward will contribute to the Rockets.
Durant effect
He stressed that Durant will help every single member of the team and heaped praise on him, saying: “He’s very experienced, and we have some very young players. I think he’ll open up the game for us. He’s incredibly effective both offensively and defensively.”
Şengün also lauded Ime Udoka, the Rockets head coach, saying: “Ime is one of the best coaches in the NBA. He came in and changed so many things-he changed the organization and brought so much to the players. Ime was one of the best things that could have happened to us, and he did. He helped me a lot mentally, too. He made everyone mentally stronger.”
Asked what had surprised him the most since joining the NBA, he said he had incredible memories.
“I dunked in a game. It was one of the best dunks I’ve ever made in my life. An offensive foul was called that didn’t happen, but that was irrelevant.”
“I say: ‘I wish it hadn’t been an offensive foul,” he said.
Slovenian basketball star Luka Doncic signed a three-year contract extension with the Los Angeles Lakers worth a reported $165 million, the team announced Saturday.
Doncic, who joined the Lakers in a jaw-dropping trade earlier this year, will remain with the Lakers for the next three years through to 2028.
“Today is a monumental moment for our franchise. Luka Doncic’s future is with the Los Angeles Lakers,” President of Basketball Operations Rob Pelinka said in a statement.
“Luka is one of the game’s most transcendent players and his on-court dominance and passion is without compare,” Pelinka added.
The 26-year-old expressed delight at the deal, saying he hoped to lead the Lakers back to the summit of the NBA.
“I’m really grateful to the Lakers organization, my teammates and the fans for welcoming me and my family with so much support and kindness since day one,” said Doncic.
“This is an amazing organization and I truly believe in what we’re building together. I’m going to keep working as hard as I can to bring another championship to Los Angeles and to make Laker Nation proud. This is just the beginning.
Doncic joined the Lakers in February from the Dallas Mavericks in a trade deal that sent shockwaves around the league.
He started 28 games to end the regular season, averaging 28.2 points, 8.1 rebounds, 7.5 assists and 1.6 steals.
Under his previous contract, Doncic could have become a free agent in 2026, but has now committed to the Lakers long-term.
Doncic was offloaded by the Mavericks in a deal that sent the Lakers’ Anthony Davis in the opposite direction.
Mavericks’ concerns about Doncic’s physical conditioning were reportedly one of the reasons why the club felt willing to part company with the Slovenian, widely regarded as a generational talent.
However, Doncic has looked noticeably slimmer in recent photos and videos, the product of a grueling off-season physical regimen that appears to have yielded impressive results.
“Just visually, I would say my whole body looks better,” Doncic told Men’s Health magazine in a recent interview.
“Every summer, I try my best to work on different things. Obviously, I’m very competitive. This summer was just a little bit different, you know. It kind of motivated me to be even better.”
Brazil clinched their ninth Women’s Copa America title Saturday, edging Colombia 5-4 in a penalty shootout after a dramatic 4-4 draw in the Quito final.
The decider at the Estadio Rodrigo Paz Delgado saw Colombia take the lead three times, only for Brazil to respond on each occasion.
Brazil great Marta forced extra time with a late equalizer and the veteran struck again in the 105th minute to seemingly seal the victory.
But a resilient Colombia found yet another equalizer to send the encounter to penalties, where Brazil’s experience ultimately prevailed.
“I think women’s football has been growing a lot. I think the trend is for it to be more competitive. Everyone here deserved a match like this. Congratulations to Colombia too,” Brazil’s Amanda Gutierres said.
“This means a lot. I think it’s Brazil’s job. It’s that mentality of never giving up. That’s a source of pride for Brazil. I think it means a lot to Brazilians.”
Both teams created early chances, but the breakthrough came in the 25th minute when Colombia’s Linda Caicedo capped off a tidy passing move with a composed low finish from close range.
Brazil got the equalizer in the dying moments of the first half when Angelina stepped up to calmly convert a penalty after VAR confirmed a foul by Jorelyn Carabali on Gio Garbelini.
Colombia regained the lead in the 69th minute via a Brazil own goal, defender Tarciane attempting a routine back pass to goalkeeper Lorena but unaware that she had already charged off her line to collect the ball.
Gutierres equalized for Brazil again 10 minutes from time with her sixth goal in the tournament, a fierce strike off Garbelini’s pass, but striker Mayra Ramirez restored Colombia’s lead by netting after a quick counter-attack eight minutes later.
“Las Cafeteras” were within touching distance of their first continental title until Marta, introduced as a late substitute, delivered a moment of magic with a stunning equalizer six minutes into stoppage time, forcing the game into extra time.
Marta struck again in the 105th minute when she tapped in a fine cross from Angelina, but Colombia turned things around again as Leicy Santos’ brilliant free kick sailed into the top corner in the 115th minute.
The penalty shootout mirrored the drama of the match, with Colombia taking the early advantage after Angelina’s miss.
However, when Manuela Pavi failed to convert and goalkeeper Lorena saved Leicy Santos’ effort as Brazil held the advantage.
Marta had the chance to seal victory, but Katherine Tapia’s save sent the shootout to sudden death, where Carabali’s miss finally handed Brazil their ninth continental title.
Formula One championship leader Oscar Piastri acknowledged Thursday that the title fight has effectively narrowed to a duel between him and McLaren teammate Lando Norris.
The Australian holds a 16-point lead over Norris heading into this weekend’s Hungarian Grand Prix – the final race before the August break.
Four-time champion Max Verstappen sits third, trailing by a daunting 81 points with 11 races left, a gap that looks nearly impossible to close given McLaren’s current form.
“When asked if it’s now a two-horse race, Piastri replied, ‘I suppose so.’”
While both drivers and McLaren officials previously resisted declaring early dominance, mounting evidence now makes that stance increasingly difficult to maintain.
“Every weekend now, or the last few weekends anyway, it has been Lando and me. I expect our competition to still be strong and put up a good fight, especially at certain tracks through the rest of the year,” Piastri said.
“Whether that comes from Max or Ferrari or Mercedes or someone else, we never really know. I’m not too concerned about what happens in that. I’m just trying to win each race and extend the lead.”
Piastri took his first Formula One win at the Hungaroring last year, while Norris was on pole.
McLaren has had six one-two finishes in 13 races, with Piastri winning six times so far and Norris four. Verstappen has two victories.
The team has scored 516 points and is already a mighty 268 points clear of second-place Ferrari.
“Hungary has been historically a good track for us as a team, certainly the two years I’ve been with the team. I expect us to be strong again this weekend,” Piastri said.
The 24-year-old said he had full confidence in himself to come out on top by the end of the year.
“Not every weekend has been perfect, but there aren’t many weekends in my whole life that have been perfect,” he said.
“Just trying to put together a solid, consistent year is ultimately going to be important. The pace in the last few weekends, especially Spa, I’ve been very confident in and very proud of.
“I’m more than capable of continuing that for the rest of the year. I’m confident that I can do it, but it’s not going to be easy.”
Galatasaray have signed striker Victor Osimhen from Serie A side Napoli for 75 million euros ($85.7 million), the Süper Lig champions announced on Thursday.
The figure makes the 26-year-old Nigerian the most expensive incoming transfer in Turkish football history.
Osimhen’s transfer shattered the previous record set by Fenerbahçe when they signed Youssef En-Nesyri from Sevilla on a five-year contract for 20 million euros in July last year.
As part of the deal that ended weeks of negotiations, SSC Napoli will receive 10% of any future profit from Osimhen’s next transfer, Galatasaray said in a statement to the Public Disclosure Platform (KAP).
“A four-year contract has been signed with the player, starting from the 2025-2026 season” the club said.
Osimhen, who arrived in Istanbul late Wednesday, will earn 15 million euros per season in net guaranteed salary, the statement said.
He will also get a net loyalty bonus of 1 million euros per season and 5 million euros as image rights payments – compensating for the use of his name, image and likeness in the club’s branding and promotional activities.
Napoli also confirmed the terms of the deal.
Negotiations between Galatasaray and Serie A champions had been ongoing for several weeks but had stalled over the terms of payment for the transfer.
Osimhen was absent as Napoli resumed training at the start of the week as the finer details of the deal were concluded.
He had been linked with a move away from Napoli last year but the Nigeria international had seen a permanent move collapse on deadline day of the close season transfer window.
A key figure in Napoli’s 2023 title triumph, Osimhen spent last season on loan at Galatasaray, scoring 37 goals and providing 8 assists in 41 appearances across all competitions.
He finished the season as the top scorer in the Süper Lig with 26 goals as the Istanbul club claimed their 25th league crown.
One year ago, at the Paris Olympics, a 51-year-old Turkish marksman stepped up to the firing line and made history, not just with a medal, but with a mood.
Yusuf Dikeç, the veteran shooter and retired gendarmerie officer, didn’t just win Türkiye’s first-ever Olympic shooting medal.
He did it with one hand in his pocket, both eyes open, and the demeanor of a man waiting for his coffee.
Silver in the 10-meter air pistol mixed team event never looked so nonchalant.
Dikeç, alongside teammate Şevval İlayda Tarhan, posted 582 in the qualification round and pushed Serbia’s Zorana Arunovic and Damir Mikec to the brink in a tense final.
But the scoreboard only told half the story.
Online, his image – stoic face, pocketed hand, basic prescription glasses – erupted into a viral storm.
Nicknames poured in: The Turkish John Wick. The Chillest Olympian Alive. One meme read, “When you’re an assassin but still have Olympic duties at 5.”
In a field dominated by high-tech visors, specialty lenses, and noise-canceling headsets, Dikeç showed up in a white national team T-shirt, yellow earplugs, and calm that cut through the noise.
He shot not like a tech-reliant pro but like a backyard legend who wandered into the Games by accident–and then stole the show.
The internet crowned him its hero.
Social media lit up with fan art and tributes, some imagining him accidentally qualifying for the Games while shooting cans in his backyard.
By the following day, he was trending worldwide.
But behind the memes was a decorated marksman with medals from the World Championships and European tournaments and a career that started long before viral fame.
A four-time Olympian since 2008, Dikeç had always trusted instinct over equipment.
His unorthodox style – both eyes open, no eye cover, hand in pocket – wasn’t rebellion. It was rhythm.
“I’ve learned to trust myself,” Dikeç told Turkish media. “I don’t think about the crowd or the cameras. I focus on the target.”
His coolness caught on.
South Korea’s Oh Ye-jin struck his trademark pose on the podium after winning gold in the men’s 10m pistol.
Archers, fencers, and fans mimicked the stance across venues. Dikeç had started a trend without trying.
When he returned to Türkiye, he was met like a conquering hero.
Thousands greeted him at Istanbul Airport.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan called his achievement “a historic moment for Turkish sports.” Billboards across Istanbul and Ankara showed his iconic silhouette with the words: Yusuf Dikeç: Cool Under Pressure.
His silver was Türkiye’s third medal in Paris, but it was the story of the Games.
Because beyond the podium, Yusuf Dikeç gave the world something rare in modern sports: a reminder that style doesn’t have to be loud, and greatness doesn’t need to be flashy.
Sometimes, a tucked-in hand and a quiet stare are all it takes to own the world stage.
With a Champions League qualifier looming, Fenerbahçe capped off their 2025 preseason preparations in style, edging Serie A side Lazio 1-0 Wednesday at a buzzing Chobani Stadium, thanks to a captain’s performance and winning strike from İrfan Can Kahveci.
The win marks a strong finish to José Mourinho’s summer training campaign as the Yellow Canaries now shift focus to their third qualifying round first-leg clash against Feyenoord on Aug. 6 in Rotterdam.
Kahveci delivers again
After a goalless first half, it was 30-year-old midfielder İrfan Can Kahveci who broke through in the 60th minute.
Latching onto a sharp assist from new signing Youssef En-Nesyri, Kahveci coolly slotted home his third goal of the preseason – a moment that sealed the win and capped a captain’s performance.
He exited to loud applause in the 73rd minute, replaced by Cengiz Ünder.
Kahveci’s resurgence under Mourinho this summer, after previously featuring off the bench last season, signals a major role ahead for the veteran midfielder.
New faces, familiar impact
The match also marked Kadıköy debuts for summer signings Archie Brown and Jhon Duran.
Brown, the 21-year-old English left-back, continued his promising form after a solid Portugal training camp.
Duran, who had featured off the bench in previous friendlies, earned a starting nod but made way for En-Nesyri just before Kahveci’s goal.
Meanwhile, defender Jayden Oosterwolde returned to the pitch for the first time in nearly 10 months following ACL surgery, earning a starting spot and looking sharp throughout – a major boost for Fenerbahçe’s backline depth.
Skriniar spotted in the stands
Slovakia international Milan Skriniar, fresh off a half-season loan with the club, was seen watching from the stands as transfer talks for a permanent deal continue.
The 30-year-old center back landed in Istanbul earlier Wednesday and is expected to finalize negotiations in the coming days.
Modern upgrades, classic atmosphere
The evening also saw the debut of Chobani Stadium’s new high-definition scoreboards – part of the club’s ongoing stadium modernization project.
But it was the return of Fenerbahçe’s passionate fans, filling the ground for the first time in two months, that truly set the scene.
Chants echoed throughout the night, providing the energy for a convincing final preseason display.
All eyes on Rotterdam
With preparations complete, Fenerbahçe now face their first major test of the 2025–26 season.
They’ll head to the Netherlands next week to take on Feyenoord in a pivotal UEFA Champions League qualifier – with the return leg set for home turf.
Türkiye, next to the Syrian brothers! Historical Number on Volunteer Return: More than 1 million Syrian returned
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102 immigrant smugglers and 393 irregular immigrants were caught
Türkiye, next to the Syrian brothers! Historical Number on Volunteer Return: More than 1 million Syrian returned
Erdoğan urges Gaza cease-fire in talks with Italy, Libya leaders
102 immigrant smugglers and 393 irregular immigrants were caught
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