The Golden State Warriors desperately need someone to reinforce their frontcourt right now, with Al Horford and Quinten Post both nursing injuries and trade deadline acquisition Kristaps Porzingis still on a minutes restriction. Thankfully, they were able to pull someone from the trenches: Omer Yurtseven. The 7-footer scored 36 points with the Santa Cruz Warriors in the G-League and was signed by the Dubs to a 10-day contract.
While the Turkish big man can be a pretty decent pickup, whatever happened to the once-hyped undrafted prospect?
Omer Yurtseven Gets Hype Thanks to Inexplicable ‘Heat Culture’
Pat Riley, Erik Spoelstra, and the Miami Heat have produced some of the most unlikely talents in the NBA. That’s because of the mythical “Heat Culture.” Some of these players even went undrafted but found their footing in South Beach. Duncan Robinson, Max Strus, and Gabe Vincent come to mind. Unfortunately, after leaving the Heat, their careers slowly died down or settled into being average at best.
One of those guys is Omer Yurtseven, the undrafted center out of North Carolina State University. For a couple of seasons, Miami had high hopes for the 7-foot big man whom they thought they could pair with Bam Adebayo in the frontcourt. As it turns out, that was nothing but false hope.
Remember when Heat fans compared him to Alperen Sengun? Indeed, weird times.
EuroLeague Star, but Mediocre in the NBA
Omer Yurtseven is a traditional big man who’s a decent back-to-the-basket type of player. He’s a good rebounder and screen-setter. His best season was his rookie year, where he averaged 5.3 points and 5.2 rebounds per game in just less than 13 minutes of playing time. Looking at his per-36 projection, Yurtseven would’ve been averaging 14.2 rebounds per game, given that he’s tall, strong, and a bit athletic.
Unfortunately, his rim protection and offensive game are just mediocre for someone who wants to make a living in the NBA. He also wasn’t a good pick-and-roll defender.
He had the hype but probably never had the opportunity, considering he got injured in his sophomore year. After a short stint with the Utah Jazz in the 2023–24 season, Yurtseven bounced from the G-League to the EuroLeague, where he became a star.
That being said, he’s probably still a good pickup for the struggling Warriors before the 2025–26 season ends. As of now, even with a 10-day contract, nothing is still guaranteed for Omer Yurtseven. If Horford and Post return, the Turkish big man would probably return to the G-League again.
That is, unless he does something unbelievable for the injury-riddled Dubs.
