Ergin Ataman

Halil Ergin Ataman (born January 7, 1966) is a Turkish professional basketball coach, currently managing Panathinaikos of the Greek Basket League and the EuroLeague. He is also the head coach of the Turkish national team.

During his playing career which began in 1982, he played for the Eczacıbaşı and Yeşilyurt basketball clubs in the amateur area.

Ataman is considered the most successful coach in Turkish basketball history and one of the most successful coaches in Europe, having won three Euroleague titles (2021, 2022 and 2024). In 2021 and 2022 he won back to back Euroleague titles with Anadolu Efes and in 2024 he won the Euroleague title with Panathinaikos BC in his first year.

Coaching career

Early years

Ataman began his managerial career in Eczacıbaşı Youth Team followed by a stint as the coach of Efes Pilsen Youth Team. Then, he coached the BSL teams Türk Telekom, Pınar Karşıyaka and Efes Pilsen respectively. He was the assistant coach of Turkish national team alongside Ercüment Sunter in EuroBasket 1997 in Spain. Turkey finished the tournament in the 8th place. He spent time at Stanford University in the United States as an observer during the 1998-99 season.

After his return to Europe, he coached Italian side Montepaschi Siena and won with the club the very last Saporta Cup in 2002. Subsequently, he joined Ülkerspor (now Fenerbahçe Ülker); however, he had to quit his job due to personal issues. He stated that his resignation was voluntary. Subsequent to his departure from Fenerbahçe he returned to Italy and signed for Climamio Bologna and coached there until his return to Turkey as the head coach of Beşiktaş during the 2007–08 season.

Beşiktaş Cola Turka

Ataman had a successful season with Beşiktaş which the team achieved EuroCup Quarter Finals held in Turin, Italy; after a stunning undefeated 10 in-a-row win performance in group B. This was the very first time that two Turkish teams played against each other. Beşiktaş lost against Galatasaray Cafe Crown and eliminated in quarters. In the league, team finalized the regular season on top place and been a part of Play-offs. After the elimination of Beşiktaş Cola Turka in the quarters, the declaration was released that Ergin Ataman would stop coaching Beşiktaş Cola Turka.

Efes Pilsen

A week later, he signed a two-year contract with Efes Pilsen, where he had worked from 1999 to 2001. Ataman has reached major achievements in the 2008–09 season by winning Turkish League, Turkish Cup, and Turkish President's Cup championships. On June 4, 2010, he left the Efes Pilsen.

Return to Beşiktaş

He signed a two-years contract with Beşiktaş in the January 2011. In the 2010–11 season, he didn't win the cups with Beşiktaş. And next season, he won the Turkish Cup in February 2012. Subsequently, he won the EuroChallenge title against Élan Chalon in the final on April 29, 2012. And finally, he won the Turkish League championship victory against Anadolu Efes in the playoff finals on June 11, 2012.

Galatasaray Odeabank

He signed a multi-year contract with Galatasaray Odeabank on June 22, 2012. He won the Turkish League championship victory against Banvitspor in the playoff finals on June 15, 2013.

In the beginning of 2014–15 season, Galatasaray struggled financially and eventually in the results. Several players boycotted training and also some were injured, which led to frustration and conflicts in the team. On October 19, 2014, Ataman was involved in the incident with then-Galatasaray player Nolan Smith, who threw the towel while being subbed out from the game against Banvit. The player parted ways with the team the following week. On November 21, 2014, in the press-conference after the EuroLeague game against the Serbian team Crvena zvezda in Istanbul, Ataman got negative publicity in Serbia, for calling 300–400 Zvezda fans Delije the "terrorists". He also stated that they were "attacking our police and our fans with torches and stones" and that he was "worried as a citizen for his and others safety". All these comments came in line with the killing of Crvena zvezda fan by Galatasaray supporters in fan violence before the game. Even Serbian PM Aleksandar Vučić reacted to that comment, saying that "Ataman is no longer welcome in Serbia". Ataman later apologized for his comments, saying that "all the remarks [on Zvezda fans] were made before learning it [that this tragedy occurred before the game]".

On June 6, 2015, he signed a two-year extension with the club, reportedly worth half million euros per season.

On April 27, Ataman's team Galatasaray Odebank defeated Strasbourg in Abdi İpekçi Arena and won the EuroCup title. With this win he reached his 3rd European-wide championship as a head coach.

Anadolu Efes

In December 2017, Ataman signed a contract with Anadolu Efes.

In the 2018–19 season, Ataman led Anadolu Efes to the 2019 EuroLeague Final Four, where they lost in the final game to the CSKA Moscow. On May 23, Ataman signed a two-year contract extension with the Anadolu Efes.

In the 2020–21 season, Ataman won the EuroLeague title where they played with Barcelona in the final game. Ataman became the first Turkish coach who won the EuroLeague title. And next season, he won the Turkish Cup in February 2022.

He won the EuroLeague title for the second time in a row in the final match against Real Madrid in the 2021–22 season.

Panathinaikos

On April 21, 2023, Ataman signed a two-year contract with Greek Basket League and EuroLeague powerhouse Panathinaikos, marking a new page in his career. The deal was made official on June 20, 2023.

On 17 November 2023 against Virtus Bologna, he reached 200 career wins in the EuroLeague. [1]

In the 2023-24 season, Ataman and Panathinaikos finished in the 2nd place in the Euroleague Regular Season (23W-11L) and secured the home court advantage for the Playoffs, where they eliminated Maccabi Tel Aviv with a score of 3-2 and led Panathinaikos to the Final Four in Berlin for the first time after an absence of 12 years.

He won Panathinaikos' seventh EuroLeague title and the first one since 2011, facing Real Madrid in the final where the "Greens" dominated the second half against Real Madrid for a 80-95 victory in Berlin and managed to win the Euroleague title in his first season as the head coach.

Coaching record

Note: The EuroLeague is not the only competition in which the team played during the season. He also coached in domestic competition, and regional competition if applicable.

EuroLeague

Domestic Leagues

Achievements

• Türk Telekom 1
  • Turkish President's Cup: (1997)
• Montepaschi Siena 1
  • Saporta Cup: (2002)
  • EuroLeague Final Four: (2003)
• Ülkerspor 4
  • Turkish Cup:(2004, 2005)
  • Turkish President's Cup: (2004, 2005)
• Anadolu Efes 15
  • Korać Cup (1996) Assistant Coach
  • EuroLeague: (2021, 2022)
  • EuroLeague Final Four: (2000), (2019)
  • Turkish Super League: (2009, 2019, 2021, 2023)
  • Turkish President's Cup: (2000, 2009, 2018, 2019, 2022)
  • Turkish Cup: (2009, 2018, 2022)
• Beşiktaş Milangaz 3
  • Turkish Cup: (2012)
  • EuroChallenge: (2012)
  • Turkish Super League: (2012)
• Galatasaray Odeabank 2
  • Turkish Super League: (2013)
  • EuroCup: (2016)
• Panathinaikos 2
  • EuroLeague champion: (2024)
  • Greek League champion: (2024)

Personal life

Ataman studied at Italian High School in Istanbul. Then he was accepted by Istanbul University, where he studied at Business Administration Department. He is married to Berna Ataman and has a son named Sarp.

Ataman is a fan and member of Galatasaray and enjoys a high status among their fans.

See also

• List of EuroLeague-winning head coaches

References

External links

• Ergin Ataman at euroleague.net