Tribute to the Champs: Bugrahan Tuncer

Bugrahan Tuncer's experience came in handy for Anadolu Efes Istanbul as it successfully defended its EuroLeague championship.

Tuncer, who has been with Efes since 2018 and has made 46 EuroLeague appearances for the team, signed a new two-year contract shortly after Efes’s triumphant return from the Final Four in Belgrade. He appeared in EuroLeague 10 games during the 2021-22 campaign, which included minutes in the decisive Games 3 and 4 of the playoffs series against AX Armani Exchange Milan. Tuncer scored his first basket of the series with a three-pointer towards the end of the first half of Game 3 that gave his team a double-digit lead on the way to a 77-65 victory.

The 29-year-old received a season-high 12 minutes on the floor in an 81-76 victory over FC Bayern Munich near the end of the regular season in April, showing his versatility as he registered 2 points, 1 rebound, 2 assists and 2 steals. He was also part of Coach Ergin Ataman’s 12-man roster for the Final Four and, although he did not play any minutes in the semifinal against Olympiacos Piraeus or the championship game against Real Madrid, his presence on the bench was confirmation that he is trusted to add shooting skills and strong defense whenever the team needs.

Tuncer also demonstrated his talents in domestic action, averaging 9.3 points and 4.2 assists in 34 regular-season games in the Turkish League, and with his future at the club since secured, he will be aiming to make the 2022-23 campaign his real breakthrough in the EuroLeague.