Begüm Yücel and Pinar Çiler Çağlayan are on the verge of making history at Bahçeşehir College Istanbul. The Turkish club is close to becoming a EuroLeague team - with two women at the helm.
Begüm Yücel and Pinar Çiler Çağlayan: Inspiring Bahçeşehir's journey
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30 Mins read
Begüm Yücel and Pinar Çiler Çağlayan are not focused on the history they are making. They understand being in the positions they are in sets them up to be role models and inspirations for others like them.
But they want something bigger: namely to turn Bahçeşehir College Istanbul into an established powerhouse in European basketball – ideally starting next season in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague.
Yücel and Çiler Çağlayan have guided their Turkish club to just four victories from winning the BKT EuroCup and earning the right to play next season in the EuroLeague.
What makes Yücel and Çiler Çağlayan special, you might ask? Both the Club President Yücel and General Manager Çiler Çağlayan are women. Strong-willed and ambitious women doing their part in breaking down the gender barrier in European basketball.
A story unfortunately needing to be told
The disappointing aspect of telling this story is that Yücel and Çiler Çağlayan should not be anything special because they are women. It should not need to be highlighted that these two are women in a men’s game. It should not even be a side note.
Yücel and Çiler Çağlayan should just be seen as two basketball leaders looking to do something rarely seen in European basketball: taking a club from its founding in 2017 and winning the FIBA Europe Cup before now attempting to lift the EuroCup in a matter of eight seasons, which would book a spot in the second-best club competition in the world.
“We want to stay humble and go step by step," Yücel told David Hein via his Taking The Charge Substack page ahead of Bahcesehir's quarterfinal clash with Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana, a game the team won 85-81. "We are still far from the [EuroCup] Final and we should focus on every game without thinking of the championship. This is basketball, anything can happen and it is impossible to control everything.
“With that being said, I can say that the target is seeing our name in the EuroLeague starting from next season, and it would mean the world to me personally since I was there in every step this club ever took.”
Çiler Çağlayan added: “Being just a few games from achieving our exact goal is incredibly exciting. Of course, it brings not only motivation but also pressure as it is unique to be this close to making history and knowing that every decision, every game could just define the whole season.”
Having beaten Cedevita, if Bahcesehir wins both of its best-of-three series in the semifinals and finals, it would become just the third Turkish club to win the EuroCup following Galatasaray Istanbul in 2016 and Darüşşafaka Istanbul in 2018. Frutti Extra Bursaspor and Türk Telekom Ankara reached the final in 2022 and 2023, respectively, and Besiktas Istanbul advanced to the semifinals last season.
“Turkish teams have made strong cases for the EuroLeague and it is pretty common to see EuroCup contenders from our country, which is very important," Yücel said. "Darüşşafaka were a great team with many future EuroLeague players; Bursaspor’s amazing final run was like a fairytale story; and Türk Telekom were one of the most successful teams that whole season both in the Turkish Super League and the EuroCup.
“The question we should ask ourselves might be if this is sustainable, and how many Turkish teams managed to stay competitive in Europe consistently besides Fenerbahçe Beko and Anadolu Efes. We want to stay competitive and be consistent which would be even more impressive than making it to the [EuroCup] Finals in my opinion.”
Bahçeşehir has been one of the best teams in the EuroCup this season, finishing the regular season atop Group A with a 14-4 record and securing a direct bye to the quarterfinals. Things have not gone quite as smoothly in the Turkish domestic league, where they have a 12-9 record in sixth place.
The team has essentially a EuroLeague-caliber roster with former EuroLeague play-caller Dejan Radonjic as head coach, as well as players such as Jaleen Smith, Mateusz Ponitka, Tyler Cavanaugh, Sehmus Hazer and Marko Simonovic all having played EuroLeague in the past. Bahcesehir added even more experienced depth in January by signing Kenan Sipahi – a veteran of 57 EuroLeague games – and former NBA star Furkan Korkmaz.
“In the beginning, our goal was to make a name for ourselves, at least reach the playoffs and make it to the EuroLeague in at worst a couple of seasons," Yücel said. "When you overachieve any of your goals, you unavoidably want more. This season, we saw the light."
From Turkish second division to FIBA Europe Cup champs and runners-up
And the light is certainly shining bright as the basketball club has seen a meteroic rise through first the Turkish ranks and then the European ranks. After being founded in 2017, Bahçeşehir started its journey in the Turkish second division and finished as runners-up in its first campaign. It played in the Turkish top flight, the Basketbol Süper Ligi, in its second season and finished ninth in 2018-19.
Bahçeşehir was given a spot in the FIBA Europe Cup in 2019-20 season and the team stormed to the semifinals before the remainder of the competition was shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The 2020-21 season saw Bahçeşehir debut in the EuroCup and register a 2-8 record, grabbing wins over Joventut Badalona and Umana Reyer Venice.
In 2021-22, the club took part in the FIBA Europe Cup for a second time. Head coach Erhan Ernak guided a team including established players such as Sam Dekker, Jamar Smith, Langston Hall and Oguz Savas to the title, beating Italian side Reggio Emilia 162-143 over a two-leg aggregate.
In the Turkish BSL, Bahçeşehir College was swept 2-0 by Galatasaray Istanbul in the first-round quarterfinals and the club missed the playoffs in 2022-23 with a ninth-placed finish.
The 2022 FIBA Europe Cup title gave Bahçeşehir College the right to play in the Basketball Champions League in 2022-23. And the team went 3-3 in the group stage before being eliminated by Filou Oostende 2-1 in the play-in. The Round of 16 group proved too much as the club went 0-6 to bow out.
Bahçeşehir Collegemoved back down to the FIBA Europe Cup for 2023-24 and won its first-round group, then went undefeated in the second round as well. The Turkish side had a coaching change in December 2023, releasing Sinan Atalay in favor of Dejan Radonjic. The former EuroLeague play-caller guided Bahcesehir past FC Porto and Varese in the first two rounds of the FIBA Europe Cup playoffs.
In the finals, the Turkish side had a thrilling battle with NINERS Chemnitz. The Germans won the opening leg 85-74 at home. Bahçeşehir took the victory in the return leg in Türkiye but it was only a 105-95 overtime victory, meaning Chemnitz took the crown with a 180-179 aggregate victory.
Bahçeşehir College a place of higher education
This seems like a good time to take a step back. Bahçeşehir has already established itself as a club to take seriously. But who or what is Bahçeşehir?
Bahçeşehir College belongs to the Bahçeşehir Uğur Educational Institutions family, which has been operating in the field of education for nearly half a century. Bahçeşehir College started education in its first campus in 1994 in the western Istanbul district of Bahçeşehir.
Bahçeşehir College had the mission of bringing quality education to every corner of Türkiye and began to open branches in Istanbul and throughout Türkiye.
According to the club, Bahçeşehir College serves nearly 100,000 students on 153 campuses in 63 provinces across Türkiye. It considers itself a “pioneer in world-class, contemporary and high-quality education in Türkiye” since 1994 with its practices that make a difference in foreign language education and educational models that set an example for the world.
Bahçeşehir College, the private Bahçeşehir University and Uğur Schools are part of the BAU Global Education Network, an international education network with institutions across three continents and 11 countries.
Bahçeşehir College has a total of 15,425 employees and 11,096 of them are women, making up 70 percent of the workforce.
“For me, gender equality isn't just about numbers or quotas but creating an environment of respect, fairness, and inclusivity," Yücel said. "Ensuring that women feel equally empowered to take on leadership roles and be confident in their abilities is crucial."
And bringing Bahçeşehir back to Begüm Yücel, the Bahçeşehir College itself was founded in 1994 by Enver Yücel, Begum’s father.
On top of that, Begüm’s brother Hüseyin founded the basketball club in 2017 – transferring the rights from Turkish second division side Acıbadem Üniversitesi SK – and served as its president until December 2023, when he moved to Beşiktaş to take over a second time as that basketball club’s president. And Begüm filled the presidency vacancy at Bahçeşehir.
In addition to the senior men’s team, Bahçeşehir College have been working tirelessly to help develop young talent, with nearly 40 youth teams across the country. The club’s teams won the Turkish U16 and U18 championships in 2023, and in 2024 they won the Turkish U14 national title.
Family love of Beşiktaş
While father Enver Yücel has been involved with Bahçeşehir since 1994, the basketball team has only existed since 2017. And the Yücel family’s rooting interests in the heated battle for fans’ hearts in the Istanbul sports landscape have always been with Beşiktaş.
“Yes, we were Beşiktaş fans growing up, and I have only good memories about Beşiktaş," Begüm Yücel admitted. "Supporting a club, it makes you feel like you are part of a huge community. In Türkiye, it is no different than having a family legacy.
“Of course, most of the fanbases in our country are football-oriented. As I grew up, I started to lose interest in football. I am the biggest fan of the Bahçeşehir College basketball team and my love for basketball dictates my life.”
Her brother Hüseyin had previously worked with Beşiktaş as well, so when he answered the call to the Black and Whites in December 2023, it was not a surprise for Begüm, especially given his love for the club.
And given her own love of the Bahçeşehir College, taking over as club president was also a no-brainer.
“I was the biggest fan of Bahçeşehir College from the very beginning and I was involved in a lot of business decisions with my family. It was a natural move for both sides, and it felt like the right thing to do,” she said. “The whole organization knew my passion for the game and the club. I was confident once I saw their support. After the decision was made, we talked about some general details. I wanted to learn from his experiences but I always knew I wanted to run things my way.”
History being made – inspiration in the works
By taking over the reins, Yücel was also making history. Four years earlier in 2019, Berna Gözbasi became the first female president in Turkish football history at Kayserispor. Now it was Yücel’s turn. She had become the first female president at a men’s Turkish professional basketball club.
“I believe women should always have greater presence in management roles in professional sports clubs and, of course, in business as well," Yücel said. "I am happy to have taken on this role but I do not want to overthink it. I hope I can set a good example and one day we can eliminate terms like ‘female president’ and ‘female manager’ from our vocabulary."
When seeking inspiration, she always looked to her parents.
“My parents are and always have been my biggest role models. Their road to success is very inspiring and what they have been able to do for the children in Türkiye, how they manage to adapt to all the drastic changes in the system is impressive to me even as their daughter,” she said.
Yücel is aware that many eyes are looking at her. Most notably, those of young women and girls in the country.
“I am just trying to be the best version of myself while doing my job," she said. "If it inspires other women and especially young girls who want to be successful in sports business, it means I am doing my job right. I hope more and more women succeed on their business journeys.
“Having women in leadership roles shows young girls that they belong in this space, too. When they see women making decisions, running teams, and succeeding in sports management, it breaks down the idea that this is a man’s world. It gives them the confidence to believe in themselves and take the leap into this career, knowing that there’s a place for them to lead.”
Çiler Çağlayan has been impressed with Begüm Yücel since taking over for her brother.
“Begüm Yücel has not only carried forward the club’s success but with her vision, our club remains a competitive, well-run and respected organization," Çiler Çağlayan said. "Having a president like Begüm Yücel not only breaks down the barriers but reshapes the culture, broadens opportunities and drives the long-term growth.
“Begüm Yücel represents a modern, strategic and sustainable vision to club management and always focusing long-term development rather than just short-term results. I strongly believe that having Begüm Yücel as the president of Bahçeşehir College, a club now just a few wins away from reaching the EuroLeague, is not only a remarkable moment for our club but also for both Turkish and European basketball.”
Çiler Çağlayan taking her own historic journey
Pinar Çiler Çağlayan, for her part, has been with Bahçeşehir from the very beginning. She worked with the club from its founding in 2017 as Executive Manager and remained in that post until February 2024, when Mehmet Alpaslan Aydın became a board member and she moved into the position.
That made Çiler Çağlayan the first female general manager in Turkish men’s basketball history.
“I can say it is a personal milestone and with the right approach women can lead and succeed in men’s professional sports," she said. "It also challenges the mindset that only men can lead and succeed in men’s professional sports.
“It is essential to create a structure where women take on significant roles not only in traditionally male-dominated fields but in every branch, department and position within the sports to ensure this equality.”
When asked how other leaders in the European basketball community responded to her becoming general manager of the club and making history, Çiler Çağlayan said: “I received messages of support and positive reactions from many people I have had the opportunity to work with or compete against. I would like to take this opportunity to once again thank everyone who has written, called and supported me.”
Just like for Yücel, the hope for Çiler Çağlayan is that evaluation of individuals can be done on merit and not be highlighted by exclusion out of tradition or unawareness.
“While emphasizing equality, it is also crucial not to highlight discrimination even further," she said. "When we evaluate individuals not as male or female executives, but simply as executives, and the primary criterion becomes the work itself, I believe that gender equality in sports can be naturally balanced without reinforcing division."
And again just like Yücel, Çiler Çağlayan knows the eyes of inspiration are cast upon her from young women and girls dreaming of doing similar great things.
“With this role being entrusted to me, I can confidently say that I will do my best to create a positive impact and show the path exists for them in sports management. I truly believe that the hard work will be recognized, regardless of gender,” she said.
It should not be a shock that Çiler Çağlayan is helping bring Bahçeşehir to lofty heights. She already helped two Turkish clubs rise further than ever before. She hails from Ankara but grew up in Izmir and played basketball recreationally there. She returned to the Turkish capital in 2009 to study philosophy at Bilkent University.
She was taking some online courses from FIBA and had a certificate for team management, but before planning on moving to to Netherlands to participate in the Erasmus program wanted some experience.
Çiler Çağlayan wrote to Ankara-based Süper Liga teams Hacettepe Universitesi Basketbol Kulübü, TED College, Türk Telekom Ankara and only Mutlu Hayran from Hacettepe responded. She then joined the club as administrative manager.
“Mutlu Hayran was the person who taught me everything when I first started in this field. I was 18 years old, and as the first female administrative manager, he believed in me. His trust and support at such an early stage in my career gave me the confidence to pursue my goals and prove myself in male-dominated industry,” she said of Hayran, who was the club’s general manager. “His mentorship, guidance, and leadership style helped me understand and handle challenges, make strategic decisions, and build strong teams.”
The team had been promoted from the Turkish third division to the second flight in 2009 and finished first in the then TB2L regular season but just missed out on promotion. With Çiler Çağlayan on board, Hacettepe finished second in the regular season before taking second place in the postseason to earn promotion to the Turkish first division.
Hacettepe ended up staying there two seasons, being relegated back to the second division in 2013, and Çiler Çağlayan returned to her studies in Ankara.
She would later reunite with former Hacettepe head coach Alp Bayramoğlu at Acıbadem Üniversitesi SK, a newly founded club Istanbul-based club in 2014.
Acıbadem started in the third division and immediately won the league, gaining promotion to the second flight in 2015. They finished second in the regular season in 2015-16 but lost 3-1 to Balıkesir in the Semi-Finals.
In 2016-17, Acıbadem finished sixth in the league and beat Socar Petkim in the quarterfinals but then finished last in the Final Four, which was a round-robin style group with each team playing the other three teams home and away.
Acıbadem was unable to reach the top flight and team owner Mehmet Ali Aydınlar decided to give up the club’s rights to Bahçeşehir Koleji Sports Club.
Çiler Çağlayan moved over to Bahçeşehir in 2017 and started taking the new club to another level. And one of her role modes was Alper Tunca Yılmaz, who served as sports director and general manager at Anadolu Efes Istanbul from 2009 to 2024 and guided the club to back-to-back Turkish Airlines EuroLeague crowns in 2021 and 2022.
“I didn’t get the chance to work with Alper Tunca Yılmaz, but his work ethic and dedication have always been an inspiration to me. Watching his approach to hard work, discipline, and professionalism has influenced the way I approach my own career,” she said of Yılmaz, who in November 2024 left Efes to become sports director of the Turkish Basketball Federation.
Not easy being a woman in a man’s world
Look at Çiler Çağlayan’s résumé and you have to think the general manager has really climbed the basketball ladder and deserves to be on the brink of something fantastic with the club.
Look at Çiler Çağlayan herself and if you don’t know who see is and her standing in the basketball landscape, all that hard work, sweat, dedication and grind often has been for naught.
“At the beginning, outsiders never assumed I was a manager. Many thought I was a nutritionist or part of the medical team. Some team representatives even assumed I was a TV presenter rather than a basketball executive. And on a few occasions, at the passport controls in airports, I was even asked if I was a cheerleader!”
Let that sink in. The general manager of a club with a European club title as well as a runners-up finish in a second season was being asked if she was a cheerleader for the team.
Still, Çiler Çağlayan took the high road, saying: “These moments both funny and eye-opening, showing just how deeply gender stereotypes are ingrained in sports. However, over time, through hard work and persistence, perceptions changed, and now people recognize me for what I am, a manager in basketball.”
She continued: “I never had an ambition for titles. For me, the most important thing has always been hard work, enjoying the journey, and learning as much as possible. I was really young when I started this job, and to be taken seriously took time, let’s say at least 10 years.”
She finished that statement with a smile. But her president knows exactly what she has with Çiler Çağlayan on her side.
“Pınar has always been amazing. She was our administrative manager for years and she has been killing it as the GM as well. She is one of the most respected professionals in Turkish basketball community and deserves it,” Yücel said. “It is of course important for a woman to be in this position and it sets an example, but our intention was never to hire or promote her because of her gender.”
Yücel herself says she really didn’t face many barriers being a woman in the game.
“I’ve been fortunate to receive strong support from everyone at the club and from those around me. This support has made it possible to focus on my goals and continue growing as a leader without being held back. I believe having a supportive environment is key to overcoming any challenge,” she said.
Not the only women in European men’s basketball
What Yücel and Çiler Çağlayan are doing it not entirely unpredecented. There have been and are other women leading clubs in European basketball.
Natalia Furaeva serves as Vice President of eight-time EuroLeague champions CSKA Moscow while Natalia Kuznetsova is the Executive Director of the club. Both have been with the Russian giants since 2002 and in their posts since 2009, being part of two of those EuroLeague successes.
Graziella Bragaglio is the president and co-owner of Pallacanestro Brescia, which won the Italian Cup in 2023.
Veronica Bartoli has served as the president of Reggio Emilia since 2020 and took over from another female president, Maria Licia Ferrarini.
In Greece, Vasiliki Belekou was the president of the club Charilaos Trikoupis, based in a small city called Mesologi, which played in the first division during the 2020-21 season but is now in the amateur divisions.
Audrey Sauret – a former FIBA Women’s EuroBasket 2001 champion with France and two-time Women’s EuroLeague winner – has been the General Manager of French club Élan Béarnais Pau-Lacq-Orthez since September 2022.
In addition, Defne Patir has been the Director of Basketball Operations and Media Relations Manager with Fenerbahçe Istanbul’s men’s team since 2010.
What do leading male figures in Europe think?
With the cases being so few, women holding leadership positions in men’s basketball remains a highly uncommon occurrence. That begs the question: what do some leading male figures in the European game think about Yücel and Çiler Çağlayan and what they are doing with Bahçeşehir College?
“I had a lot of talks with them, especially negotiating the deal for their current coach Radonjic. Everything was at a very high level, especially their professionalism,” said Misko Ražnatović, one of the leading agents in European basketball.
“Those two are smart and educated with vision and passion. And it made them successful.”
When asked what barriers he thinks women aspiring to leadership roles face, Ražnatović added: “A lot. Their starting position is low because generally people believe women don’t know the sport, and especially basketball. More or less, nobody has experience in negotiating anything in the sport with women. They had to have a lot of patience and self-confidence to ignore all of that and prove that they are capable of leading their club.”
Himar Ojeda, the sports director of the German EuroLeague club ALBA Berlin, is confident in saying women are qualified to be taking leadership positions.
“It's about time that we all correct that. I definitely think that they have all the necessary skills to be effective leaders,” Ojeda said.
“I think it means a lot for European basketball to have a big club with two powerful women. It will give a good impulse and I really hope that the things go well there because it will open up possibilities and appreciation in different places for young women that might be coming up into the organizations.”
And while it may not be hiring a female executive, Ojeda still showed with ALBA how much he values women’s basketball. Before the 2019-20 season, he and the club dedicated themselves to professionalizing women’s basketball in their club and lead it to the national peak. ALBA’s women’s team reached the German first division in 2022 and won the German title in 2024.
“We have some women in our organization and we're trying to empower them and trying to open up situations for them. And Bahçeşehir College is definitely a good example. It will be very, very powerful. I would love to envision a time when women will be leading clubs not as an exception.”
Ojeda urged that not all men are the same and not all women are the same. But there are some traits that women tend to have, he believes.
“I don't think there will be big differences that they're women and the others are men. Still, as a general idea, I think women are less tempted to go into overpowered situations that historically we as men have been done,” he said.
Nemanja Bjelica, for his part, doesn’t know why it’s such a big deal to have two powerful women leading the club. The former EuroLeague MVP with Fenerbahçe and former NBA champion with the Golden State Warriors experienced that in the United States during his seven years in the NBA.
Bjelica witnessed Greek-American Matina Kolokotronis as Chief Operating Officer with the Sacramento Kings. Kolokotronis is serving her 27th season with the Kings.
“She was doing the same stuff. So I don't know why it's strange when you see some female running the club or being on the top of the club,” Bjelica said.
There was also Nanea McGuigan, who has been Senior Manager, Executive Assistant to the General Manager, and Basketball Operations Coordinator at Golden State since 2004.
“I think maybe women are more organized than us,” Bjelica said, adding: “Sometimes women do things better than we do and it maybe helps make it a little more equal.”
Yücel once said in an interview that when a woman touches something, everything becomes more organized and more professional. She talked more about that women’s touch.
“Mostly the intangible things and little details matter to me in this case. I do not want to differentiate anyone, but I believe having a diversed environment in the work place leads to success. Most of the sports teams do not have that and I think it gives us an edge.”
Çiler Çağlayan added: “Having a woman in the management brings a unique and positive impact on a club’s culture and values. Women in leadership roles often emphasize communication, collaboration, relationship-building, fostering a healthy and structured work environment. This approach encourages stronger teamwork between departments, improving efficiency and creating a more connected organization. A well-organized and communicative culture directly benefits team performance, morale, and long-term stability.”
One of Bahçeşehir’s players, Jaleen Smith, loves the idea of having women at the head of the club.
“That's amazing. I tell everybody: my president, she's a woman, because you never hear anything about that in European basketball. You could say she's like Jeanie Buss (the Los Angeles Lakers' controlling owner and president). But it's great to have leadership like that because she treats herself as a professional as well. She comes in, talks to us before the games. She's taking care of everybody, like the true professional that she is,” Smith said.
“And having her and Pinar is really nice to have. And it also shows growth in the basketball world that more women could be in that position and have successful basketball teams under their leadership.”
When asked how important it would be for this club with this dynamic to reach the EuroLeague, Smith added: “If we go to EuroLeague, then it's going to be… it's going to be f***ing amazing to have a woman president in the EuroLeague with a team. That's going to be awesome to say and also to be a part of. She has her team in EuroLeague and brought it up from basically nothing to now this.”
Former NBA champ and EuroLeague MVP as sports director
Nemanja Bjelica has had a front-row seat to watch Yücel and Çiler Çağlayan. After playing the game for 20 years, Bjelica, who calls himself "just a kid from Block 70 in New Belgrade", joined forces with Bahçeşehir College in April 2024, taking the spot as sports director.
During the 2023-24 season, Bjelica was with Fenerbahçe but unable to play due to injury. Bahçeşehir College was playing a game in the city and he decided to use his free time to check it out.
“I learned more and I met with the people of Bahçeşehir College and it just happened," Bjelica said. "I never expected it, I never counted on this. I was never thinking in this direction. My goal was always to go back to NBA, to stay there, to live in USA. But now I'm here, I'm very happy."
The 36-year-old announced his retirement from the game on March 23, 2024 and only about four weeks later on April 21, Bahçeşehir College announced that he had been hired as sports director.
“What Begüm Yücel has done is unbelievable. I never seen such a club organization in Europe. I'm not putting Bahçeşehir College into the top 10 teams in the EuroLeague. I know where we are now. But potential-wise, I'm just talking about big picture, it's beautiful, it's unbelievable.”
Bjelica played from 2010 to 2015 in the EuroLeague, the last of those two years were in Türkiye with Fenerbahçe, winning the league MVP in 2014-15. And he understands the pressure that teams in the country face, having lost to Real Madrid in the EuroLeague Semifinals at the Final Four.
“Türkiye is very tough place to work because you need to win every day. You need to win yesterday,” he said. “I'm competitor and I want to win, but I'm very aware, even though what we did so far, it was really great accomplishment.
"But what about next year? So we've got to have consistency. We've got to be professional and a philosophy or a family, like this team is completely different than other team. We want to be gentlemen, we want to behave well. It's all other small things what can help you to build some big organization. Of course, it takes time but it's a different culture.”
And all that is a testament to the work of the president and general manager.
“It's great that females are working in some sports organization. Because I believe that all of us, we are equal. So she's the best,” Bjelica said of Yücel. “We are lucky that the family loves basketball, that our president loves basketball. It's easier to talk, to explain.
"I believe what I learned most in this job, you've got to be honest. You've got to be honest. Even if you make mistakes, you've just got to say what you think, what you feel. Because otherwise, a big company or a big sports organization with more than 30, 50 people who you see every day, then you're going to lose the edge. You're going to lose the trust. So everybody's got to be on the same page. You need to treat everybody the same. You need to respect, first of all, yourself. You need to respect your employees. And, of course, I've always got to say you've got to win.”
Bjelica has been in the game of basketball for some two decades, and what Çiler Çağlayan is doing with the club just thrills him.
“Without Pinar, I wouldn't be able to do anything," he said. "For me, it’s a privilege, and I’m really grateful working with her, and I can learn a lot of stuff from her because I was so lucky to be in the best team in the world, like the Golden State Warriors, and I saw the best from the best. And what Pinar is doing here – like her skills, her job – it's the same with the top NBA teams.
“Pinar is special and she's a hard worker. And she's like the top people from the NBA. So we are a very professional team and organized. And without her, we wouldn't be here today.”
Bjelica was asked to further explain what he meant in terms of Çiler Çağlayan and being at a similar level as NBA executives – not being asked to compare.
“What she's doing is the same way as top NBA teams," he said. "She's always on time. She comes first to the office. Always leaving last. She's so focused, she always prepares everything on time and always thinks ahead."
Çiler Çağlayan, meanwhile, believes that adding Bjelica adds instant credibility to Bahçeşehir College and its reputation.
“It was a crucial decision for the future of our club. Nemanja’s experience and deep understanding of the game instantly elevated the club’s credibility, professionalism, and basketball operations,” she said. “His experience as a EuroLeague MVP and NBA champion brings a unique perspective on team building, player development, and competitive culture.”
She continued: “His presence makes Bahçeşehir College a more attractive destination for top players, as they know they will be working together someone with proven success at the highest levels. From the start, we have had a strong and open communication, and it is very important to build the culture together also with the same vision.”
Is Bahçeşehir College ready for the EuroLeague?
Once Yücel took over as club president, one of the first trips she made was to Belgrade to speak to Dejan Bodiroga, the president of Euroleague Basketball.
“I wanted to meet him mainly because he is in charge of the best basketball organization in Europe," Yücel said. "I wanted to learn from his experiences and we discussed the steps we could take to grow as a team. Also we talked about basketball and management."
Bahçeşehir College is just four EuroCup victories away from being in the EuroLeague and is able to boast a head coach with EuroLeague experience and many players who have played in the competition, but that doesn’t mean the club is ready for the EuroLeague.
“The EuroLeague is a different level of competition, with the teams having larger budgets and deeper rosters," Çiler Çağlayan said. "Bahçeşehir College is capable of following all kinds of requirements being a part of the EuroLeague. We have a great and consistent organization off the court also but with the help of Euroleague [Basketball], it will get better and better.
“We are trying to establish the right structure where everyone only focuses on their own responsibilities without taking on extra burdens. This allows each person to perform their job better and ensures that the system runs smoothly and consistently.
“There are no easy games in the EuroLeague, so also mentally we should be ready for the pressure of it and keep the winning mentality and consistency as a key.”
Let's hope that we no longer need to see cases like Begüm Yücel and Pinar Çiler Çağlayan as anything special just because they are women. Until then, let’s all realize just how special the situation at Bahçeşehir College is.