Ergin Ataman

Halil Ergin Ataman (born January 7, 1966) is a Turkish professional basketball coach, currently managing Panathinaikos of the Greek Basket League and the EuroLeague.

He is also the head coach of the Turkish national team.

During his playing career which began in 1982, he played for the Eczacıbaşı and Yeşilyurt basketball clubs in the amateur area.

Ataman is considered the most successful coach in Turkish basketball history.

Ataman began his managerial career in Eczacıbaşı Youth Team followed by a stint as the coach of Efes Pilsen Youth Team.

Then, he coached the BSL teams Türk Telekom, Pınar Karşıyaka and Efes Pilsen respectively.

He was the assistant coach of Turkish national team alongside Ercüment Sunter in EuroBasket 1997 in Spain.

Turkey finished the tournament in the 8th place.

He spent time at Stanford University in the United States as an observer during the 1998-99 season.

A week later, he signed a two-years contract with Efes Pilsen, where he had worked from 1999 to 2001.

After his return to Europe, he coached Italian side Montepaschi Siena and won with the club the very last Saporta Cup in 2002.

Subsequently, he joined Ülkerspor (now Fenerbahçe Ülker); however, he had to quit his job due to personal issues.

He stated that his resignation was voluntary.

Subsequent to his departure from Fenerbahçe he returned to Italy and signed for Climamio Bologna and coached there until his return to Turkey as the head coach of Beşiktaş during the 2007–08 season.

Ataman had a successful season with Beşiktaş which the team achieved EuroCup Quarter Finals held in Turin, Italy; after a stunning undefeated 10 in-a-row win performance in group B.

This was the very first time that two Turkish teams played against each other.

Beşiktaş lost against Galatasaray Cafe Crown and eliminated in quarters.

In the league, team finalized the regular season on top place and been a part of Play-offs.

After the elimination of Beşiktaş Cola Turka in the quarters, the declaration was released that Ergin Ataman no more coaching Beşiktaş Cola Turka.

Ataman have reached the major achievements in 2008–09 season with winning Turkish League, Turkish Cup, and Turkish President's Cup championships.

On June 4, 2010, he left the Efes Pilsen.

In the 2010–11 season, he didn't win the cups with Beşiktaş.

He signed a two-years contract with Beşiktaş in the January 2011.

And next season, he won the Turkish Cup in February 2012.

Subsequently, he won the EuroChallenge title against Elan Chalon in the final on April 29, 2012.

And finally, he won the Turkish League championship victory against Anadolu Efes in the playoff finals on June 11, 2012.

He signed a multi-year contract with Galatasaray Odeabank on June 22, 2012.

He won the Turkish League championship victory against Banvitspor in the playoff finals on June 15, 2013.

In the beginning of 2014–15 season, Galatasaray struggled financially and eventually in the results.

Several players boycotted training and also some were injured, which led to frustration and conflicts in the team.

On October 19, 2014, Ataman was involved in the incident with then-Galatasaray player Nolan Smith, who threw the towel while being subbed out from the game against Banvit.

The player parted ways with the team the following week.

On November 21, 2014, in the press-conference after the EuroLeague game against the Serbian team Crvena zvezda in Istanbul, Ataman got negative publicity in Serbia, for calling 300–400 Zvezda fans Delije the "terrorists".

He also stated that they were "attacking our police and our fans with torches and stones" and that he was "worried as a citizen for his and others safety".

All these comments came in line with the killing of Crvena zvezda fan by Galatasaray supporters in fan violence before the game.

Even Serbian PM Aleksandar Vučić reacted to that comment, saying that "Ataman is no longer welcome in Serbia".

Ataman later apologized for his comments, saying that "all the remarks [on Zvezda fans] were made before learning it [that this tragedy occurred before the game]".

On June 6, 2015, he signed a two-year extension with the club, reportedly worth half million euros per season.

On April 27, Ataman's team Galatasaray Odebank defeated Strasbourg in Abdi İpekçi Arena and won the EuroCup title.

With this win he reached his 3rd European-wide championship as a head coach.