Upcoming Event: Men's Basketball at Mount Royal on August 4, 2026 at 1:30 p.m.
M Basketball
1:30 p.m.
at Mount Royal
Grand Canyon University Athletics
2026-27 Men's Basketball Roster
Roster
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Jersey Number 17
Efe Demirel
- Ht./Wt.:
- 7-1 / 240
- Position:
- Center
- Class:
- Sophomore
- Hometown:
- Izmit, Turkey
- Prev School:
- Pinar Karsiyaka
- Major:
- B.S. in Business Management
| Read | 7-foot-1 Turkish center joins GCU Watch | International highlights |
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Grand Canyon |
- Started 28 of 32 games as GCU’s freshman center, averaging 8.5 points, 5.3 rebounds and a team-high 1.1 blocks in 22.5 minutes per game.
- Shot 63.0% from the field, a mark that ranked fifth on GCU’s all-time single-season list and third in the program’s D-I single-season record book among players with at least 100 attempts.
- Ranked fifth in the MW in offensive rebounds per game and sixth in blocked shots per game, while ranking second on the team in offensive rebounds (69) and blocked shots (35).
- Scored in double figures 13 times and recorded two double-doubles, both in MW road games.
- Had one of the most efficient games in GCU’s D-I era with a season-high 22 points on 10-of-11 shooting against Oklahoma State on Dec. 6, also adding eight rebounds and two steals.
- Went 6 for 6 from the field and 4 for 4 at the free throw line for 16 points in an 86-69 win over Boise State on Jan. 30, the top perfect-shooting game by a Lope in 2025-26.
- Recorded his first career double-double with 14 points and 10 rebounds at Nevada on Jan. 27, then added 14 points and a season-high 11 rebounds in GCU’s 73-63 win at San Diego State on Feb. 17.
- Added 15 points at San José State on Feb. 14 and 14 points against San José State on Jan. 10, shooting a combined 10 for 14 from the field in those wins.
- Came to GCU from Turkey, arriving on campus in mid-August. "Practices, therapies, lifting. Everything is going perfect at GCU. It's really different from Europe. Everything is much bigger, more comfortable and much better."
Prior to GCU |
- Seasoned player with year-round play at high levels in Turkey.
- 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.
- In 2024-25, 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, 2024, 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.
- In 2023, FIBA identified Demirel as one of the 10 rising stars at the FIBA U18 European Championships.
- 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. Averaged 6.3 points and 3.9 rebounds for Turkey at the FIBA 2024 U20 Eurobasket.
- Has former teammates playing at Penn State (Melih Tunca) and SMU (Samet Yigitoglu).
Personal |
- Parents are Mehmet Senol Demirel and Aynur Demirel.
- Spent his first week in Arizona in mid-August by attending his first NFL game, Cardinals-Chiefs, and a trip north to the Grand Canyon and Sedona.
- On his first visit to GCU Basketball Practice Facility, Demirel was reunited with Karsiyaka teammate Fatts Russell, who works out with his brother, former Lopes star DeWayne Russell.
Thursday, June 25
Thursday, June 25
Thursday, June 11
Wednesday, June 10
