Türkiye's national basketball team, led by veteran coach Ergin Ataman, will take on Italy in Thursday's 2025 European Championship Qualifiers Group B clash.
This game will mark Ataman's 79th match in charge of the team, a tenure that has spanned two stints.
Ataman’s return to the national team in April 2022 has been defined by both highs and lows, with a record of 39 wins and 39 losses in 78 matches, 38 of which were official games.
His first stint as head coach from 2014 to 2016 saw him lead the team in 45 matches.
Ataman’s first experience with the national team came on Aug. 2, 2014, in a friendly against Belgium, where the team lost 74-70.
However, it was not long before Ataman celebrated his first win – leading the national team to a 77-66 victory over Puerto Rico in the Belgrade Cup.
His first official match in charge came during the 2014 FIBA World Cup, where Türkiye faced New Zealand in their opening game.
The national team clinched a narrow 76-73 victory, beginning Ataman's competitive reign with a win.
Türkiye eventually reached the quarterfinals of that tournament but were eliminated by Lithuania, 73-61.
In official games, Ataman has led Türkiye to 21 wins and 17 losses in 38 matches.
Under his guidance, the team enjoyed significant victories, including a dominant 86-52 win over Belgium in the 2023 World Cup qualifiers.
However, there were some heavy defeats, notably a 104-77 loss to Spain in the 2015 European Championship.
Ataman's time with the national team has also placed him sixth on the list of the most-capped national team coaches.
His 78 matches put him behind Bogdan Tanjevic, who holds the record with 173 games.
Others in the top five include Mehmet Baturalp (146), Aydın Siyavuş (130), Samim Göreç (107), and Aydın Örs (81).
Beyond his achievements with the national team, Ataman's coaching career has been one of groundbreaking success.
He is widely regarded as one of the most successful coaches in Turkish basketball history.
He is the only coach to have won Turkish league titles with three different clubs – Anadolu Efes, Beşiktaş, and Galatasaray.
Ataman made history as the first Turkish coach to work in a professional European league, leading Panathinaikos to multiple championships, including the Greek League title.
He also became the first Turkish coach to win the EuroLeague title, achieving this feat with Anadolu Efes in the 2020-2021 and 2021-2022 seasons.
His early success came with Montepaschi Siena in Italy, where Ataman won the Saporta Cup in his first season, becoming the first Turkish coach to claim a major European trophy.
Ataman's legacy includes significant achievements with Turkish clubs in Europe.
He led Beşiktaş to the 2012 FIBA EuroChallenge title and helped Galatasaray secure the ULEB European Cup in 2016, further cementing his reputation as one of Europe's premier coaches.
