Nevriye Yilmaz
Encyclopedia
Nevriye Yılmaz is a Turkish
-Bulgaria
n professional female basketball
player of Fenerbahçe Istanbul. Yılmaz, who grew up in Bulgaria as a member of Turkish minority, moved to İstanbul
, Turkey
with her parents when she was nine years old.
In 1997, she won the World High School Basketball Championship with Boğaziçi Lisesi.
in Turkey
.
team Apollon Polomadia (2001–02) then later to the Bulgaria
n team Akademik Test Plovdiv (2002). Yılmaz moved then to Italy
to play for Termini di Mareze (2002–03), La Spazia Basket (2003–04) and Pool Comense Como (2004–05).
(WNBA). In 1999, she participated in the Charlotte Sting
's training camp, but was released before the season started. In 2000, she attended the training camp for the now-defunct Miami Sol
, but was also released prior to the start of the regular season. Then in 2003, Yılmaz signed a free agent
contract with the Phoenix Mercury
and played five games for them. The following year, 2004, she played seven games for the San Antonio Silver Stars
.
She won 2005 Europe Cup Ribaund Quenn and 2007 EuroLeague Women
All-Star player honor.
in Almería
, Spain
and won a gold medal
with Turkey national women's basketball team
.
Yılmaz is with more than 180 games (188 games until 7 December 2007) the most capped national player. She was a student in the Sports Academy at the Istanbul University
.
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
-Bulgaria
Bulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
n professional female basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
player of Fenerbahçe Istanbul. Yılmaz, who grew up in Bulgaria as a member of Turkish minority, moved to İstanbul
Istanbul
Istanbul , historically known as Byzantium and Constantinople , is the largest city of Turkey. Istanbul metropolitan province had 13.26 million people living in it as of December, 2010, which is 18% of Turkey's population and the 3rd largest metropolitan area in Europe after London and...
, Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
with her parents when she was nine years old.
In 1997, she won the World High School Basketball Championship with Boğaziçi Lisesi.
Early career in Turkey
She began her basketball career with I.U.S.B.K. (1997–99) and then she played Galatasaray Istanbul (1999-01) where she won her first Turkish ChampionshipTurkish Women's Basketball League
The Turkish Women’s Basketball League is the top women’s professional basketball league in Turkey organized by the Turkish Basketball Federation. The women’s league started in 1980...
in Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
.
Career in Europe
She moved first to the GreekGreece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
team Apollon Polomadia (2001–02) then later to the Bulgaria
Bulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
n team Akademik Test Plovdiv (2002). Yılmaz moved then to Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
to play for Termini di Mareze (2002–03), La Spazia Basket (2003–04) and Pool Comense Como (2004–05).
WNBA
Yılmaz is the first Turkish woman to play in the Women's National Basketball AssociationWomen's National Basketball Association
The Women's National Basketball Association is a women's professional basketball league in the United States. It currently is composed of twelve teams. The league was founded on April 24, 1996 as the women's counterpart to the National Basketball Association...
(WNBA). In 1999, she participated in the Charlotte Sting
Charlotte Sting
The Charlotte Sting was a Women's National Basketball Association franchise based in Charlotte, North Carolina and it was one of the league's eight original teams. The team folded on January 3, 2007....
's training camp, but was released before the season started. In 2000, she attended the training camp for the now-defunct Miami Sol
Miami Sol
The Miami Sol was a women's basketball team which joined the Women's National Basketball Association in 2000. They played their games at American Airlines Arena. The team folded after the 2002 season because of financial problems...
, but was also released prior to the start of the regular season. Then in 2003, Yılmaz signed a free agent
Free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
contract with the Phoenix Mercury
Phoenix Mercury
The Phoenix Mercury is a professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona, playing in the Western Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded before the league's inaugural 1997 season began; it is one of the eight original franchises...
and played five games for them. The following year, 2004, she played seven games for the San Antonio Silver Stars
San Antonio Silver Stars
The San Antonio Silver Stars are a professional basketball team based in San Antonio, Texas, playing in the Western Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded in Salt Lake City, Utah before the league's inaugural 1997 season began; the team moved to San Antonio...
.
Fenerbahçe
In 2005, she returned home to play in Fenerbahçe Istanbul. Yılmaz is the pinnacle of Turkish women's basketball who has all the mental tools to become one of the great figures in her sport after transferred to Fenerbahçe Istanbul. Despite her star status, she is a player who is always thriving to become better and is never satisfied with what she has accomplished. After years, she is deadly in all aspects of her game. She is an adept passer from the post, a shooter and a banger inside. In addition, she is a voracious competitor and never backs away. But that passion, interestingly, comes with humility. She does not see herself as better than other players on the team and her main driving force is to not only get better personally but to improve as a team. All of her goods make her both club and international team's captain.She won 2005 Europe Cup Ribaund Quenn and 2007 EuroLeague Women
EuroLeague Women
The EuroLeague Women is the highest professional basketball league in Europe for women’s clubs.Unlike Euroleague for men, the competition is entirely organized by FIBA Europe.-Between 2004-2011:...
All-Star player honor.
National team
She participated at the 2005 Mediterranean GamesTurkey at the 2005 Mediterranean Games
Turkey participated in the 2005 Mediterranean Games in Almería, Spain. With one hundred female and one hundred ninety-six male athletes participating, Turkey garnered seventy-three medals, marking this as its most successful participation in an international multi-sport gaming event in its...
in Almería
Almería
Almería is a city in Andalusia, Spain, on the Mediterranean Sea. It is the capital of the province of the same name.-Toponym:Tradition says that the name Almería stems from the Arabic المرية Al-Mariyya: "The Mirror", comparing it to "The Mirror of the Sea"...
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
and won a gold medal
Gold medal
A gold medal is typically the medal awarded for highest achievement in a non-military field. Its name derives from the use of at least a fraction of gold in form of plating or alloying in its manufacture...
with Turkey national women's basketball team
Turkey national women's basketball team
The Turkey national women’s basketball team is the basketball side that represents Turkey in international competitions for women.-Current roster:This is the roster for the EuroBasket Women 2011:-FIBA World Championship:-Olympic Games:...
.
Yılmaz is with more than 180 games (188 games until 7 December 2007) the most capped national player. She was a student in the Sports Academy at the Istanbul University
Istanbul University
Istanbul University is a Turkish university located in Istanbul. The main campus is adjacent to Beyazıt Square.- Synopsis :A madrasa, a religious school, was established sometime in the 15th century after the Ottoman conquest of Constantinople. An institution of higher education named the...
.
Honors
- Turkish ChampionshipTurkish Women's Basketball LeagueThe Turkish Women’s Basketball League is the top women’s professional basketball league in Turkey organized by the Turkish Basketball Federation. The women’s league started in 1980...
- Galatasaray Istanbul (1): 2000
- Fenerbahçe Istanbul (6): 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011
- Turkish Cup
- Fenerbahçe Istanbul (4): 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009
- Turkish Presidents Cup
- Fenerbahçe Istanbul (2): 2007, 2010
- Eurobasket
- National team (1): 2011 (silver)
- All tournament team, Eurobasket Women 2011EuroBasket Women 2011The 2011 European Women Basketball Championship, commonly called EuroBasket Women 2011, was the 33rd regional championship held by FIBA Europe. The competition was held in Poland from 2011. This was the 4th time that the EuroBasket Women was hosted by Poland....