Ergin Ataman makes bold claims ahead of Germany final

National Men's Basketball Team head coach Ergin Ataman and team captain Cedi Osman appeared before the press at Arena Riga ahead of the EuroBasket 2025 final. Emphasizing his experience with final matches, Ataman said, "I don't like losing in finals. If I am in a final, I win."

Ataman stated that he was pleased with the performance they displayed throughout the tournament, adding, "We maintained the same tempo and aggressiveness in every match. We have great respect for Germany; they are the reigning world champions. However, we believe we are better in this tournament," he said.

The head coach noted that facing strong opponents in the tournament provided a significant advantage ahead of the final. "We played against important rivals like Serbia, Latvia, and Greece. This experience will be our greatest advantage in the final," he said.

ATAMAN'S CAREER AND FINAL EXPERIENCE

Ergin Ataman argued that he has been the best head coach in Europe over the last 10 years. Pointing to the European trophies he won with Anadolu Efes, Panathinaikos, and Galatasaray, he said, "I achieved the same success with every team I worked with." Ataman stated that he has played many final matches in his career and does not experience stress in such games.

CEDİ OSMAN'S VIEWS

Team captain Cedi Osman acknowledged that Germany is a strong opponent, saying, "The two undefeated teams of the championship will meet in the final. We are ready and want to become European champions by putting on our best performance." Osman expressed that they have performed well throughout the tournament and believes they will show the same success in the final.

Reminding that Germany is the reigning world champion, Osman said, "They have very good players, but we are also a tremendous team. We will do our best to win the cup," he said.