Yalçın Granit

Yalçın Granit — Biography

Yalçın Granit (17 September 1932 – 1 November 2020) was a Turkish basketball player, coach, sports administrator and journalist. Born in Istanbul, he lost his father at the age of two, grew up in Arnavutköy, and received his secondary education at Darüşşafaka High School, where he first took up basketball.

As a player he represented Galatasaray in Turkey and Racing Columbes in France, competing for the Turkish national team at the 1952 Summer Olympics before retiring from playing in 1957.

After his playing career, Granit spent decades working as a coach, sports administrator and journalist, becoming one of the most respected figures in Turkish basketball history. Following his death in 2020, he was remembered with tributes across the Turkish sporting world, particularly within the Galatasaray community.