After eight seasons away, Can Ogut trusted his emotions when he decided to return home and play for his boyhood club Turk Telekom Telekom.
Can Ogut, Turk Telekom: 'One day, everyone goes back home'
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Can Ogut felt heartstrings pulling at him this past off-season when he was looking for a place to play. In the end, the point guard chose Turk Telekom Ankara because it was time for him to return to where it all started.
The 29-year-old playmaker spent his childhood with the club and played for Turk Telekom for 10 years - the last three as a professional.
“I made some wonderful friendships through this club. I still miss the experience and pleasure I had while playing for a young Telekom team, especially in the second league,” said Ogut, who was in the TB2L in 2008-09.
He would stay there until 2013 when he decided to leave for Royal Hali Gaziantep. as a 21-year-old.
"It is quite exciting to compete at these levels both individually and as a team - a cup with elite players and strong teams."
“It was really difficult for me to make such a decision after playing for Telekom for so long. Gaziantep's offer and the coach's attitude towards me were the most important elements in my decision to move there. My main ambition was to establish myself at a high level in a good organization. I believe I accomplished that over time,” said Ogut.
The native of Malatya played for Gaziantep for seven of the next eight years - with a one-year stay at Acibadem Universitesi Istanbul in 2016-17.
“Every day of my seven years at that club was filled with incredible moments. My best memory was finishing third in the EuroChallenge in 2013 under Jure Zdovc's coaching,” he said. “Playing at Gaziantep, where I was captain for the last three years, improved my communication with the team and with the staff, and I gained valuable knowledge. I'm also grateful to the club for trusting me with the captaincy at such a young age.”
During the 2018-19 and 2020-21 seasons, Ogut ranked in the top five in assists in the Turkish League.
“During those two years, I shared the court with two players with exceptional basketball intelligence: Tonye Jekiri and Mouhammadou Jaiteh. Furthermore, our overall chemistry was superb, which really enhanced my confidence on the court, and those players helped me feel more at ease on the court,” he said.
This off-season Ogut said he had offers from a number of clubs. But the fact that he would get a chance to play in the 7DAYS EuroCup was a major factor in choosing Turk Telekom.
“One of the reasons I love Telekom is because it competes in the EuroCup. It is quite exciting to compete at these levels both individually and as a team - a cup with elite players and strong teams,” said Ogut, who had played in the EuroChallenge, Basketball Champions League and FIBA Europe Cup in the past. “There is no easy game. But because I've been competing for years and enjoy it, I go into every game with a higher level of motivation.”
Ogut returned to a different club than the one he left in 2013.
“As an organization, I believe they are in a much better position. As far as I can tell, they place a higher value on youth development. They hope to gain more players to the main team, which will help the club's tradition in the long run,” he said.
Besides playing in the EuroCup, another reason to come back to Ankara was a feeling of home.
“I have many pleasant memories of this place. One of the reasons I choose Telekom is emotions. One day, everyone goes back home.”