REGENSBURG (David Hein's Eye on the Future) - Omer Yurtseven finally knows his fate and the Turkish center can see the light at the end of the tunnel about when he will start his US collegiate career.

After reviewing his amateur status for some five months, the NCAA ruled Yurtseven eligible to play during this his freshman season but still suspended him for nine games and ordered him to pay USD $1,000 to a charity of his choice.

"It's been a long process," the NC State center said after the NCAA announcement.

"I'm happy that we have an idea of what we're going to do so that we can move on. It was a relief, for real. Everybody was asking, 'Are they going to decide today?' It just kept on going."

NCAA officials were trying to rule if Yurtseven was truly an amateur after he had spent time playing professionally for Turkish powers Fenerbahce prior to enrolling at NC State. The NCAA determined that Yurtseven and/or his family received the equivalent of 1,000 dollars compensation beyond the cost-of-living allowance during his three seasons at Fenerbahce.

NC State University leaders were politically correct in their response as the university’s director of athletics Debbie Yow said: "The NCAA conducted a thoughtful analysis of Omer’s situation. … Their staff exhibited considerable concern for fairness and for the welfare of this conscientious young man in their decision."

NC State men's basketball head coach Mark Gottfried said he was disappointed for Yurtseven.

"He has been patient and 100 percent forthright. We will adapt and integrate him in as soon as possible," said Gottfried about Yurtseven, who will be eligible to practice with the team and play in both of the Wolfpack's exhibition games.

Former Duke four-year starter and ESPN analyst Jay Bilas was upset about the NCAA's decision.

"A young man choosing college should be welcomed, not punished for growing up and living in another country," Bilas, who is also a Charlotte-based attorney, told the Raleigh News & Observer. "He has exhibited no behaviour to indicate he’s a professional. In fact, he’s turning down money to play in college."

This is just the latest case of a European player who has faced difficulties in receiving eligibility - full or with conditions. The issue is the NCAA still trying to figure out what status these players have with their clubs, if they are professionals or not.

But that is not the case with Yurtseven, said his attorney Don Jackson, who insists the Turkish big man never signed a contract or hired an agent.

"There was nothing else here. There's no justification for this. Omer and his family attempted to do everything the right way and based on the NCAA rules, and he still got a nine-game punishment," Jackson said. "This wasn't about the objective, provable facts. It was more of an effort to protect their flawed methodology for future cases."

NC State fans can be happy that Yurtseven will even be able to play. Of course this is not the same, but Turkish big man Enes Kanter was ruled permanently ineligible by the NCAA in 2010 in a similar case for receiving 33,000 dollars during his final season with Fenerbahce. Kanter had hoped to play for Kentucky.

Whatever the NCAA's decision process regarding Yurtseven was, the main thing is that this long waiting game is over. Yurtseven will have to wait until NC State’s home game against Appalachian State on December 15, which would be the first game in which he is eligible to play.

The decision will also not likely have an impact on young elite Europeans from choosing collegiate basketball in the United States over club ball in Europe, since the questions about eligibility have long lingered over international players thinking about the NCAA.

With the issue cleared up, Yurtseven can now concentrate on becoming a star at the college level, which is something many predict for the 18-year-old.

He is one of 20 players on the list of top centers for the up-coming season for the Kareem Abdul Jabbar Award. The previous two winners have been Frank Kaminsky in 2015 and the Austrian Jakob Poeltl in 2016.

While the wait might not be over for Yurtseven, the wait before the wait is … and Yurtseven can look ahead to playing soon.

David Hein

FIBA

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