Having joined the team in 2011, Balbay is by far the longest-serving member of the Efes roster and has made more than 200 EuroLeague appearances for the team. A knee injury meant that he could only add seven games to that tally this season, with most of those coming in the opening weeks of the campaign. Balbay was able to play a part in Efes’s important turnaround in form following a disastrous start to the season, spending limited time on the court in victories over ALBA Berlin and Olympiacos Piraeus in Rounds 9 and 10. But he was then sidelined and made only one more appearance, getting nearly 5 minutes on the floor in a Round 29 loss at AS Monaco.
In the end, he totaled just 22 minutes of playing time all season, scoring 1 free throw, grabbing 5 rebounds and dishing 2 assists. But it is a testament to his professionalism and character that despite that minimal on-court contribution, Balbay never let his injury woes get in the way of his role as captain, always providing a positive presence on the sideline and in the locker room. And from a player whose combination of basketball IQ, selflessness and hard work screams ‘future coach’ like few others, you can be sure that Efes boss Ergin Ataman greatly appreciated the support of Balbay over the course of the campaign. Even at the season’s climax, Balbay showed his team-first spirit by calling on long-time teammate Bryant Dunston to do the honors of raising the EuroLeague Trophy.
