The Wolfpacker

November 2017

The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports

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42 ■ THE WOLFPACKER BY JACEY ZEMBAL O mer Yurtseven didn't tell the re- turning NC State players that he was going to surprise them at the team hotel during the Wolfpack's overseas trip to Italy in August. Yurtseven pursued different basketball op- portunities during the spring and summer, and had been apart from the program. His first challenge was navigating the NBA Draft process, which ultimately led him to bypass entering the draft May 24. He returned home to Istanbul, Turkey, for the summer and played for the nation's under-20 squad in July, and then was with the Senior National Team in August, which caused him to miss NCSU's three-game trip to Italy. However, Turkey happened to be playing in the same area as NC State, making for the ideal surprise visit. Getting the chance to see his new and for- mer teammates proved to be closure on the ups and downs of his first year of college. "That was pretty sweet," Yurtseven said. "They didn't expect me to see me, so I just came in." NCSU fifth-year senior center Lennard Freeman was completely caught by surprise from the gesture. "That was crazy," Freeman said. "We hadn't seen Omer in forever, and he just pops up in Italy out of all the places. It wasn't like he popped up at the Dail [practice facility]. And he had a beard, too [which has since been shaven]. "All the old guys were like, 'Omer!' … It was a good experience." Yurtseven elected to not only pass on the NBA Draft last June, but also the opportunity to play professional basketball overseas. He deemed having a second year with NC State was the best option for his basketball career. "When you choose one route, you go 100 percent with it," Yurtseven said. "That is what I'm doing right now. I don't look back and say, 'Hey, I should have done this. I should have done that.' I never say that." Seeing the reaction of his teammates in Italy helped play a small role in his decision making. "It was a thing [going to the team hotel] that I did not have to do, but I felt like I had to do it," Yurtseven said. The embrace in Italy was much warmer than a year ago when he arrived for the first time at NC State, not knowing anybody but the Wolfpack coaches. "I feel like this year was definitely better," Yurtseven said. "I knew them way more than I did last year. I think that was the biggest difference." The weight of expectations proved difficult for Yurtseven to live up to last year. He was deemed a potential lottery pick or at least a first-round draft pick by various basketball experts. The hope was that the one-two punch of freshman point guard Dennis Smith Jr. and Yurtseven would lead NC State into ACC contention and a spot in the NCAA Tourna- ment. "Those expectations have always been there," Yurtseven said. "I hope that they won't go away. That is something that helps you improve, too. "It gets you a little anxious, and that good stress gets your energy up." Yurtseven entered last year not knowing if he was going to be allowed to play college basketball at all due to his past professional ties to Fenerbahce in Istanbul, Turkey. He found out an hour before the season opener that he was going to be allowed to play for NC State, but would have to sit and wait until mid-December. The Pack posted a 7-2 record during his absence, and he made his debut Dec. 15 with 12 points and four rebounds in 24 minutes during a 97-64 home win over Appalachian State. Yurtseven tallied at least 12 points in three of his first four games, but then did so just three more times in ACC action. He had his best game with 12 points and a season- high 16 rebounds in 27 minutes during a 79-74 home win against Pittsburgh Jan. 17. The frustration started to boil over when head coach Mark Gottfried was dismissed prior to the end of the season. Eventually, Gottfried — who opted to finish out the year with the team — benched Yurtseven during a 70-55 home loss against Virginia Feb. 25. PLAYING CONFIDENTLY Center Omer Yurtseven Is Better Prepared For His Sophomore Season BASKETBALL PREVIEW 2017-18

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