Ersan Ilyasova
Born: 1987
Position: Small Forward/Power Forward
Passport: Turkey
Size: 2.07m/6’9ft
Team: FC Barcelona
Contract: 3 years, expires 2010, team option to extend until 2011; 1.600.000€ net/year; existence of NBA opt outs unknown but probable
Statistics: Euroleague, ACB
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- has finally found his position at the four spot
- very mobile for a power forward
- excellent shooter, can make tough, contested shots
- puts the ball on the floor against slower defenders
- not much of a lowpost threat
- excellent on the boards
(last update: 27 Nov 2008)
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04 Dec 2008; Notes
Is he or isn’t he? Was Ersan Ilyasova really born in 1987? While 1987 remains his official year of birth, there are strong indications he might have been born in 1984.
The most spread theory says that Ülker Istanbul brought in a guy called Arsen Ilyasov born in 1984 from Uzbekistan and organized a Turkish passport for him, changing his name to Ersan Ilyasova, while reducing his age by three years in the process.The fact is that Arsen Ilyasov crossed the border on August 7, 2002, but never showed up again. On September 19, 2002, a man named Semsettin Bulut told the Turkish authorities that he had forgotten to register his fifteen-year-old son, and so he registered him as Ersan Ilyasova. A long investigation held by the Turkish authorities showed that there wasn’t any previous data about the kid in their files.
Source: Draftexpress
But instead of wasting countless words on a matter that won’t be resolved anyway, let’s simply agree that Ilyasova is an extremely intriguing player, even if he were a 24-year-old as of now. A prototype European power forward, Ilyasova is mobile and a deadly shooter as well as a decent rebounder. With the way he has been progressing lately, there’s a chance Ilyasova might return to the NBA one day, but GM’s and headcoaches should be aware that the Turkish international plays his best basketball at the power forward spot – not as a small forward.
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13 Nov 2008; Full article
The much improved Ersan Ilyasova
In 07/08, the former Milwaukee Buck Ersan Ilyasova was well on his way to becoming a disappointment in his first season back in Europe after two years overseas. Playing on the three spot, the Turkish international found it hard to utilise his skills in order to have an impact on the game. Not much of a post-up player, Ilyasova was not able to take that big of an advantage of his height advantage over opponent’s small forwards while struggling on the defensive end, where the Euroleague’s quick and agil swingmen were creating difficulties for the young Turc. With the playoffs approaching, new headcoach Xavi Pascual made a move that probably got him an extension on his expiring contract: Move Ilyasova to the four spot. Now the agile forward could take advantage of his superior quickness over rivalling big men, he popped out for the three pointer, banged inside for rebounds, took his man off the dribble. He was everywhere to be found, averaging 13PPG and 9.6RPG in the Playoffs and by doing so playing a major part in leading the Catalans into the ACB Finals versus TAU Vitoria. So far this season, Ilyasova is continuing where he left off, averaging 13.3PPG and 8.3RPG in the process. The former Buck is a prototype European power forward, agile and quick when going inside, excellent touch from beyond the arc, solid athleticism, excellent rebounder. The big question is where he sees himself in the future. Aged 21 – at least oficially – , Ilyasova is destined for a great European career, but is that what he has in mind? Ilyasova might one day want to go back overseas, where he had quite a solid sophomore season for the struggling Milwaukee Bucks, averaging 6.1PPG and 2.9RPG in less than 15MPG. It is to be expected however that the young Turc would have to move back to the small forward position, and after struggling heavily in Europe on that position and after having just made the European breakthrough on the four spot, it does not sound like a great idea.
