Türkİye, Sports

Turkish basketball legend dies at 88

Yalcin Granit became first Turkish basketball player to make appearances in European team

Suha Gur  | 02.11.2020 - Update : 02.11.2020
Turkish basketball legend dies at 88

Istanbul

ISTANBUL

Legendary Turkish basketball player and coach Yalcin Granit passed away Sunday at the age of 88.

Born in 1932, Granit became Galatasaray's first professional basketball player with the proposal of the club’s founder, Ali Sami Yen.

He was also the first Turkish basketball player to play on a European team, wearing French club Racing Club Paris’s uniform.

Granit also appeared in a total of 68 games for Turkey.

Turkish Basketball Federation President Hidayet Turkoglu tweeted a condolence message on the death of Granit.

“His remarkable contributions will always be gratefully remembered by the basketball community,“ he said.

*Writing by Muhammed Enes Calli in Ankara

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