By Bilal Baran Yardimci / info@eurohoops.net
Fenerbahce opened the 2025/26 EuroLeague season with a win against Paris, and one of the main talking points after the game was the impressive debut of their latest NBA signing — Talen Horton-Tucker.
The former Los Angeles Lakers, Utah Jazz, and Chicago Bulls player, with 305 regular season appearances in the NBA, finished his first EuroLeague game with 20 points in 20 minutes. After the game, he shared his thoughts with Eurohoops.
“I started the game a bit slowly, just trying to get the jitters out and stay in the flow of the game. The coach trusted me and put me in during the second half, and that meant a lot to me.”
Horton-Tucker also spoke about head coach Sarunas Jasikevicius:
“Him staying on me pretty hard, He doesn’t let nobody slack. Having a coach who holds you to high standards makes you hold yourself to a higher standard when you play. That’s why I was able to play a lot better in the second half.”
After winning the treble last season, including the EuroLeague, Fenerbahce made several roster changes, with Horton-Tucker the latest addition.
“This was the first game playing together. I joined the team a bit late, so considering that, it was a very good first game. I just want to continue to gel with the guys — we have a great group.”
Looking ahead, Horton-Tucker has high ambitions with the Istanbul side.
“I feel like the sky is the limit. The main goal is to win the championship again in every league we play. If we can repeat last season’s success, that would be perfect. Personally, I just want to play the best that I can and see where that takes me,” Horton-Tucker concluded.