Former national team basketball player dies in road accident

MUĞLA

Former Turkish national basketball player İlkan Karaman, 34, died in the early morning hours of September 8 after being hit by a drunk driver in the southwestern city of Datça.

The driver, identified as Emre A.Ö., was arrested after fleeing the scene. Authorities detained him two hours after the crash, determining he was intoxicated at the time of the crash.

Karaman, who recently moved to the Datça district of Muğla from the western city of Izmir, was hit by a vehicle as he crossed the street in front of a gas station.

He was transported to a hospital in nearby Marmaris, but died from his injuries despite medical treatment.

The accident happened shortly after Karaman moved into his new home in Datça. His family and relatives went to the city to claim his body.

Karaman, who hails from the northwestern city of Tekirdağ, has had a notable career in Turkish basketball, playing for top teams such as Pınar Karşıyaka, Fenerbahçe and Beşiktaş.

He most recently played for Çayırova Belediyespor and represented Turkey in the qualifiers for the 2013 European Basketball Championship.

In 2012, Karaman was selected in the second round of the NBA draft by the Brooklyn Nets with the 57th overall pick, although he never played in the league.

After his death, many sports clubs expressed condolences and expressions of sympathy.

“We wish the deceased God’s mercy and express our condolences to his wonderful family, his loved ones and the entire basketball community,” read a statement issued by the Turkish Basketball Federation.

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