Galatasaray Medical Park makes Ataman bench boss

Jun 22, 2012 by Euroleague.net Print

Ergin Ataman joins Galatasaray Medical Park

Galatasaray Medical Park will return to the Eurocup in 2012-13 with one of Turkey's most accomplished coaches on the bench after announcing the signing of Ergin Ataman on Friday. The first Turkish coach ever hired abroad, when he won the Saporta Cup in 2002 and reached the Euroleague Final Four in 2004 with Montepaschi Siena, Ataman makes Galatasaray his sixth team in Turkey. He arrives from Besiktas JK Milangaz, which won its first Turkish League title since 1975 under Ataman earlier this month. Ataman began on the bench in the Efes Pilsen youth system before taking head coaching jobs at Turk Telekom and Pinar Karsiyaka. He returned to Efes Pilsen to help the team become the first Turkish team at a Final Four in 2000. They repeated that accomplishment together in 2001 before Ataman joined Montepaschi Siena and immediately lifted the club to its only European trophy, the 2002 Saporta Cup. One year later, Siena became just the second team ever to make the Final Four in its debut Euroleague season. Ataman returned to Turkey for three seasons with Ulker before spending one more in Italy with Climamio Bologna. He spent the next season at Besiktas, reaching the 2008 Eurocup Final Eight, before returning to the Efes Pilsen bench for 2008-09. The last three seasons he has spent with Besiktas, culminating in their historic finals victory to reach the Turkish Airlines Euroleague next season.

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