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Grand Canyon University Athletics
Photo by: FIBA
7-foot-1 Turkish center Demirel joins GCU
6/1/2025 4:30:00 PM | Men's Basketball, Paul Coro
Lopes land versatile 20-year-old with extensive experience
Separated by nearly 7,000 miles, Grand Canyon and Efe Demirel are coming together over a commonality – basketball.
The Lopes are adding a difference-making, 7-foot-1 center who has been seasoned with year-round play at high levels in Turkey. Demirel can play for GCU in the upcoming season, adding to a highly rated transfer portal class of five previously signed players and a pair of experienced returning guards.
"We are really excited about Efe coming to GCU," Lopes sixth-year head coach Bryce Drew said. "He has great skill for his size and can play above the rim."
Demirel was part of the Andalou Efes S.K.. a successful Euroleague club, in Istanbul that won the Presidential Cup in 2022-23 and he was also on the organization's teams that won the nation's youth league twice.
Last season, Andlous Efes S.K. allowed him to play for Pinar Karsiyaka of the Turkey Basketball Champions League. In Izmir, the 20-year-old averaged 3.6 points, 2.7 rebounds and 0.8 blocks in 9.8 minutes per game.
In his final game for Karsiyaka on May 17, Karsiyaka posted 18 points and seven rebounds against Tofas in 26 minutes. He made 6 of 8 shots from the field and 6 of 8 free throws.
"Demirel stood out due to his massive 2.14-meter size (7 feet) and his impact around the basket on both ends of the floor, while also showing more creativity than you would expect at his size, as he was able to put the ball on the floor to create his own shot with his back to the basket," FIBA wrote.
Demirel is known as a creative big man with mobility, ball-handling and shot-blocking while effectively using post-up offensive skills. In 2023, FIBA identified Demirel as one of the 10 rising stars at the FIBA U18 European Championships.
In that tournament, Demirel averaged 15.0 points, a tournament-best 9.3 rebounds and 2.6 blocked shots per game. He also helped Turkey to a FIBA U18 European Championship silver medal.
A fixture in Turkey's national team program, Demirel maintained a key role as a part of the roster that captured a 2023 FIBA U19 World Cup bronze medal. Last year, he averaged 6.3 points and 3.9 rebounds for Turkey at the FIBA 2024 U20 Eurobasket.
The Turkish Basketball Federation is led by President Hedo Turkoglu, a 2000 NBA first-round pick who started for most of his 15-year career that included a trip to the 2009 NBA Finals, a NBA Most Improved Player award in 2007-08 and a 2010 stop in Phoenix
Demirel's addition enhances a roster that is formulated to maintain the program's status after three consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances.
As the only mid-major program ranked in 247Sports' top 50 transfer portal classes, Drew and the Lopes staff previously added Wilhelm Breidenbach (Washington), Jaden Henley (UNLV), Brian Moore Jr. (Norfolk State), Nana Owusu-Anane (Brown), Jack Sawyer (Abilene Christian), Kaleb Smith (UC Riverside) and Dusty Stromer (Gonazaga). GCU was at No. 35 prior to adding Smith.
The Lopes also return guards Makaih Williams, who started most of last season, and Caleb Shaw, who started three games last season, as well as 7-foot-1 center Dennis Evans, who redshirted last season.
The Lopes are adding a difference-making, 7-foot-1 center who has been seasoned with year-round play at high levels in Turkey. Demirel can play for GCU in the upcoming season, adding to a highly rated transfer portal class of five previously signed players and a pair of experienced returning guards."We are really excited about Efe coming to GCU," Lopes sixth-year head coach Bryce Drew said. "He has great skill for his size and can play above the rim."
Demirel was part of the Andalou Efes S.K.. a successful Euroleague club, in Istanbul that won the Presidential Cup in 2022-23 and he was also on the organization's teams that won the nation's youth league twice.
Last season, Andlous Efes S.K. allowed him to play for Pinar Karsiyaka of the Turkey Basketball Champions League. In Izmir, the 20-year-old averaged 3.6 points, 2.7 rebounds and 0.8 blocks in 9.8 minutes per game.
In his final game for Karsiyaka on May 17, Karsiyaka posted 18 points and seven rebounds against Tofas in 26 minutes. He made 6 of 8 shots from the field and 6 of 8 free throws."Demirel stood out due to his massive 2.14-meter size (7 feet) and his impact around the basket on both ends of the floor, while also showing more creativity than you would expect at his size, as he was able to put the ball on the floor to create his own shot with his back to the basket," FIBA wrote.
Demirel is known as a creative big man with mobility, ball-handling and shot-blocking while effectively using post-up offensive skills. In 2023, FIBA identified Demirel as one of the 10 rising stars at the FIBA U18 European Championships.
In that tournament, Demirel averaged 15.0 points, a tournament-best 9.3 rebounds and 2.6 blocked shots per game. He also helped Turkey to a FIBA U18 European Championship silver medal.
A fixture in Turkey's national team program, Demirel maintained a key role as a part of the roster that captured a 2023 FIBA U19 World Cup bronze medal. Last year, he averaged 6.3 points and 3.9 rebounds for Turkey at the FIBA 2024 U20 Eurobasket.The Turkish Basketball Federation is led by President Hedo Turkoglu, a 2000 NBA first-round pick who started for most of his 15-year career that included a trip to the 2009 NBA Finals, a NBA Most Improved Player award in 2007-08 and a 2010 stop in Phoenix
Demirel's addition enhances a roster that is formulated to maintain the program's status after three consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances.
As the only mid-major program ranked in 247Sports' top 50 transfer portal classes, Drew and the Lopes staff previously added Wilhelm Breidenbach (Washington), Jaden Henley (UNLV), Brian Moore Jr. (Norfolk State), Nana Owusu-Anane (Brown), Jack Sawyer (Abilene Christian), Kaleb Smith (UC Riverside) and Dusty Stromer (Gonazaga). GCU was at No. 35 prior to adding Smith.
The Lopes also return guards Makaih Williams, who started most of last season, and Caleb Shaw, who started three games last season, as well as 7-foot-1 center Dennis Evans, who redshirted last season.
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