MATOSINHOS (Portugal) - It feels like an eternity since talk of a special frontcourt talent emerging in Türkiye first hit the radar and a heap of expectation was thrust onto the young shoulders of Elif Istanbulluoglu.
Even more so because she donned the colors of famous powerhouse Fenerbahce and got to step out in a handful of EuroLeague Women games - playing alongside an array of box-office stars and winning the title.
Such hyperbole is not new at the start of a movie we've seen so many times before when it comes to the emergence of young talents.
Importantly, the main plot is still very much a work in progress, with Istanbulluoglu showing signs of shifting up a gear and perhaps closing the gap between where she's actually been and where she was once projected to be at this juncture.
A standout so far at the FIBA U20 Women's EuroBasket 2025 with a tournament double-double of 17.3 points and 10.3 boards, she's been the centerpiece of her team's perfect start heading into the Round of 16.
Meanwhile her stunning opening salvo of 30 points against Latvia on the opening day in Matosinhos may have had something of a cathartic feeling to it.
That's in the context of having returned from her sophomore year with Louisville Cardinals in the NCAA where high-volume shooting and eye-popping numbers have not been on the menu.
That came prior to being part of her country's FIBA Women's EuroBasket 2025 campaign where she was still clearly growing into a senior team role.
A big chunk of responsibility for her progression lies in her relationship with renowned Louisville playcaller Jeff Walz, who intriguingly has also spent time assisting the Turkish national team. That dynamic is a key one that will continue to play a prominent part in shaping these upcoming chapters.
The journey of Istanbulluoglu so far has not exactly been straightforward - but then the development arch of most young players rarely avoids a few bumps in the road.
For example, having opted to broaden her horizons and head Stateside, the towering forward endured some struggles on and off court in her freshman year. As well as the adjustment period all European players must navigate, Istanbulluoglu also had to overcome dietary challenges posed by having Type 1 diabetes.
Thankfully the trajectory is now firmly on an upwards curve and there feels like an acceleration is potentially talking place towards this next important stage of her career.
More influentual in her Sophomore year with Louisville and with a senior tournament debut with Türkiye now on her resume, could Istanbulluoglu be about to sign off her FIBA youth career on a high and keep the momentum going?
Player Breakdown
The most striking thing about Istanbulluoglu is obviously her size and frame. She stands out immediately because of this and especially amongst her peers at U20 level, where she almost visibly has more confidence to put that to effective use.
She doesn't hesitate to try and impose herself inside the paint and can physically wear down defenders with her constant battling for space down low. Although there is no doubt that her post-moves and footwork are solid, but absolutely still developing and it's never easy against intense defensive attention, with double-teams employed.
Rather than having a true signature move, Istanbulluoglu will use her power to generally muscle her way to the basket for inside scores. She will readily take opportunities with both her left and right hand which is a huge positive, while her height allows her to score over most defenders.
Her size and reach means that she is particularly adept at snapping up any rebounds from misses - whether her own, or capitalizing on putback scores from others. That class on the glass also manifests itself defensively and is a big contributor to her being a 'walking double-double' at youth level.
Interestingly, the forward has been described by Coach Walz as having worked relentlessly on lifting to improve her physicality even more. While what she has is more than enough at U20, this is likely to prove necessary to be more impactful in the NCAA and at senior level in the future.
Istanbulluoglu is certainly not a one-dimensional player simply happy camping under the basket, since she does have an extended shooting range and is comfortable operating on the wings. Her ability to draw defenders away from the paint and open up space for cutters and for her teammates to exploit is useful.
Her three-point shot is just about effective enough to keep opposing defenders interested - even if percentage-wise it's below where it probably should be in this tournament. But at last year's edition of U20, she shot a superb 38.5 percent from outside.
The player is adding to her lifting regime, by working tirelessly on improving the consistency of her shooting. Even a modest rise in her accuracy from either mid-range or long-range could be transformational in the medium to long-term - at least in how she is guarded and viewed by others. Similarly, her free-throw numbers are not great and that is another area of continued focus.
With the very best frontcourt players in the women's game often being able to show their vision and passing skills, especially from the high-post, this is an area that Istanbulluoglu can also make big inroads into. Her IQ is nice and that is not a surprise, since basketball is already in her blood, with both her parents having played pro and her older sister Sevval, played collegiately at Siena University.
One of the biggest upsides to her game is her defensive reading of situations (helped by that IQ just mentioned), which sees her stepping up high and sometimes grabbing key steals. Her comfort at operating on the perimeter offensively is mirrored on defense.
While not necessarily ideal, she can guard wing players with modest success if her team needs to. That is due to her ability to avoid squatting down when someone drives hard on her. She will retain verticality and that makes it really tough for opposing players, who have to figure out how they can finish over the top of her.
Outlook
As an overall package in terms of her game, Istanbulluoglu is in a positive spot and could possibly use 2025 as a springboard year to take steps forward. The building blocks and pieces could be falling into place and fans will be keen to see more evidence of this down the tournament stretch.
She continues to be the marquee baller for Türkiye and if they are to continue their tilt at the podium, then you feel it will require Istanbulluoglu to keep coming up with eye-catching performances.
Beyond the action in Matosinhos, this next two-year window is likely to define her career in many ways. She will enter her junior and senior years in college, as well as trying to cement her spot with Türkiye as they bid to make the flagship FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup 2026 in Berlin and then the FIBA Women's EuroBasket 2027.
Critically, Istanbulluoglu is maybe now showing that it's not really about living up to the hype of when she first burst onto the scene. It's perhaps more about her breaking out in a different way and defining the true vision of what she can offer for her country in these next (still formative) years and beyond.
Either way, there is no doubting that Türkiye really do have a big talent to call upon.
FIBA