Turkish basketball legend Omer Onan has decided to put his outstanding playing career behind him. Onan announced his retirement on Tuesday to take the team manager position with Fenerbahce Ulker Istanbul, where he played in each of the last nine seasons. He started his career with Efes Pilsen, joining the team’s first roster in 1996, months after the club lifted its only European trophy, the 1995-96 Korac Cup. In his nine seasons with Efes, Onan helped his team win five Turkish League titles and lift four Turkish Cup trophies from 1996 to 2004, as well as reaching the 2000 Euroleague Final Four and the 2001 FIBA SuproLeague final four. Onan played the 2004-05 season with Fenerbahce, joined Ulker in the 2005-06 season and stayed in the team from the moment both teams merged until his retirement. Onan won another Turkish League title with Ulker in 2006 and five more with Fenerbahce Ulker, in 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011 and 2014, also lifting three Turkish Cup trophies from 2010 to 2013. Onan has also been a regular member of the Turkish national team, helping win respective silver medals at EuroBasket 2001 and the 2010 FIBA World Championships.
Since the Euroleague took off in 2000, Onan ranks 23rd in games played with 187, in which he accumulated 1,199 points, 199 rebounds and 142 steals. Onan will keep working for Fenerbahce Ulker as team manager, replacing former All-Euroleague forward Mirsad Turkcan, who is still the competition’s leading rebounder at 1,287 boards.
