"I was very proud of my four years over there. We also won two Turkish Leagues. It is great memories, not only for me, but my family, too. My daughter was born in Istanbul. It is like my second home over there."
The comfort of Istanbul was not only in end-of-season results and lifting trophies, but on an every-day basis. That team spent together four years and acted like a family, and there was a lot of familiarity off the court, but especially on the court.
"We came in the preseason and we would know what to do, we knew all the set plays. Everything became easy for me," he said.
So, having turned 34 years of age this past summer, Moerman decided to replace having everything smooth and easy and go into a completely new situation. Moerman had changed clubs before, of course, but the last time he did so was back in 2018, before his 30th birthday. Being older, however, did not make this new adjustment harder. On the contrary
"It is easier because of previously having a chance to play under different coaches in Europe and France. So, it is a quick adjustment", Moerman explained. "But it is maybe a little hard when it comes to being focused, especially on certain tactical parts, because I was with Efes for four years and I was knowing everything, and now the coach is different than Ergin Ataman."
But such a challenge is the exact reason why Moerman decided to make the move in the first place. Not many players would opt for the route Moerman took this summer, but change is what he wanted.
"I want to be out of my comfort zone. Unlike in Efes where everything became easy for me. I am a very competitive player and this is a new challenge for me," he said.
Now, with Monaco, a club in its second EuroLeague campaign, teammates he never played with before and a coach he never played under, he got what he wanted and is very happy with his decision.
