The Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens forward is playing a key role for Coach Ergin Ataman's squad
Cedi Osman leads Turkiye to perfect start
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5 Mins read
By winning its opening two games at EuroBasket 2025, Turkiye has both feet in the upcoming Round of 16. Less than 48 hours after downing Latvia in its home court, Turkiye rallied from an early deficit to top Czechia 92-78, remaining undefeated in Group A. Cedi Osman has been unstoppable until now, proving that at age 30, he is right in the prime of his career.
Osman had a sensational game against Czechia, finishing with 21 points in just over 34 minutes. He capped a 14-0 Turkish run with a fast break layup to give his team a 35-28 margin. Turkiye did not trail after that, getting its second double-digit win in as many games. Alperen Sengun led the way with 23 points, 12 rebounds and 9 assists. Ercan Osmani of Anadolu Efes Istanbul added 16 points on 7 of 9 two-pointers in less than 23 minutes.
Panathinaikos fans did not have to wait long to see Osman's best version in this tournament. He had 7 first-quarter points against Latvia, allowing Turkiye to get a 21-24 lead. Neither Osman nor Turkiye slowed down throughout the game, winning all four quarters to record a 73-93 victory in already a pivotal game for both teams. Osman had a game-high 20 points, 3 rebounds and 3 assists. Kenan Sipahi of Bahcesehir College Istanbul added 19 points on 5 of 5 three-pointers, Shane Larkin had 15 and his Efes teammate Sehmus Hazer had what could be the highlight play of the tournament with a poster dunk over Kristaps Porzingis.
All eyes seem to be on Sengun but quietly, Osman has been just as important, averaging 20.5 points on outstanding shooting (75.0% 2FG, 46.2% 3FG). After seven seasons in the NBA, Osman returned to the EuroLeague with Panathinaikos and Coach Ataman. He got better as the season went on: despite averaging 9.6 points and a PIR of 8.5 in the 2024-25 campaign, Osman had 28 points in Game 5 of the playoffs against Efes, and got 22 in the semifinal against Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul.
His EuroBasket 2025 performance only adds more evidence of what's coming next. Osman is ready to showcase his best basketball in the EuroLeague in the foreseeable future.