Ataman’s 15-year-old son becomes assistant to his father in Turkey’s staff

At only 15 years old, Sarp Ataman, son of head coach Ergin Ataman, is living an extraordinary experience at EuroBasket 2025. Present in the Turkish staff as a « volunteer assistant » (term used by his father), he has become the youngest person to hold such a role in the history of the competition.

👀 « Gönüllü asistan koç’ diyebiliriz »

🎙️ Ergin Ataman, oğlu Sarp Ataman’ın Milli Takımdaki rolünü anlattı:

« Elbette resmi olarak asistan koç değil, henüz sadece 15 yaşında. Yine de hazırlık döneminin tamamını bizimle geçirdi.

Analiz yapıyor, takıma yardımcı oluyor. Ayrıca… pic.twitter.com/pxhaBSlEdw

— Eurohoops Türkiye (@EurohoopsTR) August 26, 2025

A passion inherited from father

Always close to his father on the courts, Sarp Ataman has long nurtured the desire to follow in his footsteps. The opportunity came this summer: joining the Turkish national team staff for EuroBasket 2025. « Of course, he’s not officially an assistant since he’s only 15, but he spent the entire preparation with us and helps the team with scouting. He knows basketball very well, he helps me, he helps the players, we can say he’s a volunteer assistant » explained Ergin Ataman during a press conference (as reported by Eurohoops).

Real help in preparation

According to his father, the teenager doesn’t just observe: he has taken part in scouting work and actively assists the team in their daily routine. A unique immersion for a young enthusiast who closely works with the national team stars and already discovers the behind-the-scenes of a major international tournament.

What’s next?

When asked about his son’s future within his staffs, Ergin Ataman responded with a smile regarding a possible integration in a more official role: « We’ll see, maybe… » Leaving room for speculation about future opportunities, even though at 15, the experience is mainly about discovery and family bonding.