The 26th overall pick in the 2016 NBA draft, Furkan Korkmaz, is set to remain in Turkey for another year, according to multiple reports. Sportando, Eurobasket, and TrendBasket are among the international outlets confirming that Korkmaz is returning to his Turkish team, Anadolu Efes, for at least one more season. International basketball journalist David Pick first reported on draft night that Korkmaz wouldn’t join the 76ers right away.
Korkmaz, who will turn 19 later this month, was selected by the Sixers with the third of their three first-round picks in June. Unlike fellow first-rounders Ben Simmons and Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot, he didn’t sign his rookie deal with Philadelphia last week in order to join the club for Summer League action.
Korkmaz, in his age-18 season, played sparingly for Anadolu Efes in Euroleague action this year, averaging just 8.3 minutes per game in 19 appearances. He did shoot 42.3% on three-pointers during that small sample size.
While Philadelphia won’t be bringing over Korkmaz right away, the team may end up signing another Anadolu Efes player this month. Dario Saric, the 12th overall pick in 2014 and Korkmaz’s teammate in Turkey, is a good bet to join the Sixers for the 2016/17 season.