Efe Aydan

Efe Aydan — Biography

Born on May 4, 1955, in Ankara, Ahmet Efe Aydan is regarded as one of the greatest players in Turkish basketball history. He is the son of opera singer and actress Sevda Aydan and the older brother of actor Ege Aydan. He began playing basketball at 16 with Galatasaray and went on to represent Karşıyaka, Eczacıbaşı, Fenerbahçe, Beşiktaş, Paşabahçe, and Tofaş over the course of his club career, winning the Turkish league championship six times.

With the senior Turkish national team he made 224 appearances, served as captain in 89 of them, and scored 2,195 points. In 1981 he became the first Turkish basketball player to appear for the FIBA European Selection, an all-star team drawing on the continent's top players, delivering a standout performance against Spain's Joventut Badalona. He was also part of Turkish national squads that won gold at the 1981 Balkan Championship and the 1987 Mediterranean Games.

After retiring from playing, Aydan remained active in Turkish basketball circles, and in 2024 he declared his candidacy for the presidency of the Turkish Basketball Federation, outlining his plans for the sport's future.