EVRENSEL PAKSOY

I'm Evrensel Paksoy. Basketball has been an inseparable part of my life and identity ever since my journey began at Anadolu Efes when I was 12. As a player, I competed at youth and senior team levels with Karşıyaka and Beşiktaş. My years on the court taught me grit, discipline and the value of being a team. The experiences I gained in those years and my love for basketball are at the heart of what I do as a coach today.

I am a graduate of Celal Bayar University, and I supplemented my university education with athletic performance training from EXOS and the Turkish Basketball Federation. Over a coaching career of about 16 years, I have worked in athletic performance at Beşiktaş Sports Club, Aliağa Petkim Spor, Trabzonspor and Anadolu Efes. For the past six years, I have been working with the İLAB Basketball Team. Working with players of different ages at different clubs has shown me that every athlete's development path is unique.

For me, athletic performance coaching carries a responsibility that goes beyond making an athlete stronger, faster or more resilient. I care about players understanding their bodies, grasping the purpose of their work, and translating the physical capacity they gain into their game on the court. I believe that for this development to last, work ethic, a sense of responsibility and game knowledge must grow alongside it.

My basketball background is one of the strongest foundations of my relationship with players. From my playing days, I know the load of training, the pressure of games, the frustration of making mistakes and what it takes to try again. This experience helps me understand my athletes and communicate with them more openly. When working with different age groups, I take care to approach each player according to their needs, experience and the way they express themselves.

What makes me happiest as a coach is sharing the experience I've built up over the years with an athlete and seeing them interpret it through their own thinking. Seeing them apply what they've learned in training, in games and in other areas of their lives means a great deal to me. Watching an athlete make more conscious decisions over time, take ownership of their development and find solutions to the challenges they face is the most meaningful reward of my work.

I love basketball, and I want to keep learning, creating and sharing my experience within this game. My goal is to contribute to the journeys of athletes who make a difference with their performance on the court, who respect their work and effort, and who strengthen their character as they develop their game.