According to the Turkish news site Basketfaul, Ilkan Karaman, who used to play for Fenerbahce and the Turkish national team, died in a terrible car accident when he was 34 years old.
Milli Takımımızın formasını giymiş oyuncularımızdan İlkan Karaman’ın vefatını derin bir üzüntü ile öğrenmiş bulunuyoruz.
— TBF (@TBF) September 8, 2024
Türkiye Basketbol Federasyonu olarak merhuma Allah'tan rahmet, kıymetli ailesi, sevenleri ve basketbol camiamıza başsağlığı dileriz. pic.twitter.com/lRnmYbNuap
He was hit by a drunk driver in Datça while he was walking on the path. It was said that Ilkan Karaman died right there on the spot after being hit by a car that lost control while he was waiting for his friend to get gas.\
Read also: Peter L. Carnes Obituary: A Tribute to a Remarkable Life
He was picked up by the Brooklyn Nets with the 57th pick in the 2012 NBA Draft. He was then sold to Cleveland. He never did make it to the NBA, but he played for Fenerbahce for two years, from 2012 to 2014, and also in the EuroLeague.
The Turkish player only played three times outside of Turkey during his 15-year career. He played for Cholet and Antibes Sharks in France in 2019–20 and for the Formosa Dreamers in Taiwan in 2023.
Ilkan Karaman tragically passed away at 34 🕊️https://t.co/2QqctrQ6xv
— Eurohoops (@Eurohoopsnet) September 8, 2024
He also played for other Turkish teams, like Pinar Karsiyaka and Besiktas, but Çayırova Belediyesi was the best experience he ever had.
