Anadolu Efes Istanbul
Founded in 1976, Efes won its first Turkish League trophy in 1979 but did not become a true powerhouse until the 1990s, when Coach Aydin Ors led the team to five Turkish championships in six seasons plus the 1993 Saporta Cup Final. Efes became the first Turkish club to win a European title when it captured the 1996 Korac Cup. Efes was also the first Turkish team to reach the EuroLeague Final Four in 2000, a milestone it repeated in the 2001 SuproLeague. The club next tasted glory when Coach Ergin Ataman returned to Efes and put together a team for the ages, led by Shane Larkin, Vasilije Micic and Bryant Dunston. Efes reached the EuroLeague Championship Game in 2019 and led the 2019-20 EuroLeague when it was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. A year later, the club’s ascent to the summit was successfully concluded with a championship game victory over FC Barcelona in Cologne with Micic named both EuroLeague and Final Four MVP. Efes successfully defended the title in 2022, defeating Real in the championship game behind Final Four MVP Micic. Efes missed the playoffs in 2023 and lost in the Play-In Showdown in 2024. Last season Efes bowed out after a thrilling five-game series against Panathinaikos Athens and its former Coach Ataman. Now, with Coach Igor Kokoskov in charge, Efes continues its mission to battle for trophies in every competition it enters.
Founded in 1976, Efes won its first Turkish League trophy in 1979 but did not become a true powerhouse until the 1990s, when Coach Aydin Ors led the team to five Turkish championships in six seasons plus the 1993 Saporta Cup Final. Efes became the first Turkish club to win a European title when it captured the 1996 Korac Cup. Efes was also the first Turkish team to reach the EuroLeague Final Four in 2000, a milestone it repeated in the 2001 SuproLeague. The club next tasted glory when Coach Ergin Ataman returned to Efes and put together a team for the ages, led by Shane Larkin, Vasilije Micic and Bryant Dunston. Efes reached the EuroLeague Championship Game
in 2019 and led the 2019-20 EuroLeague when it was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. A year later, the club’s ascent to the summit was successfully concluded with a championship game victory over FC Barcelona in Cologne with Micic named both EuroLeague and Final Four MVP. Efes successfully defended the title in 2022, defeating Real in the championship game behind Final Four MVP Micic. Efes missed the playoffs in 2023 and lost in the Play-In Showdown in 2024. Last season Efes bowed out after a thrilling five-game series against Panathinaikos Athens and its former Coach Ataman. Now, with Coach Igor Kokoskov in charge, Efes continues its mission to battle for trophies in every competition it enters.
