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Kenan Sipahi

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Kenan Sipahi
Sipahi with Karşıyaka in 2024
No. 55 – Bahçeşehir Koleji
PositionPoint guard
LeagueBasketbol Süper Ligi
Personal information
Born (1995-05-26) May 26, 1995 (age 31)
Pristina, Serbia, FR Yugoslavia (modern Kosovo)
Listed height6 ft 5.75 in (1.97 m)
Listed weight195 lb (88 kg)
Career information
NBA draft2017: undrafted
Playing career2010–present
Career history
2010–2013Tofaş
2013–2016Fenerbahçe
2015–2016→Karşıyaka
2016–2019Beşiktaş
2019–2020Real Betis
2020–2021Fenerbahçe
2021Zaragoza
2021–2022Beşiktaş
2022–2025Karşıyaka
2025–presentBahçeşehir Koleji
Career highlights
Medals
Men's basketball
Representing  Turkey
EuroBasket
Silver medal – second place2025 Cyprus–Finland–Poland–Latvia
European U-18 Championship
Gold medal – first place2013 LatviaU-18 Team
Bronze medal – third place2011 PolandU-18 Team
European U-16 Championship
Bronze medal – third place2010 MontenegroU-16 Team
Sipahi with Fenerbahçe in December 2013

Kenan Sipahi (Albanian: Kenan Spahiu; born May 26, 1995) is a Kosovo-born Turkish professional basketball player for Bahçeşehir Koleji of the Turkish Basketbol Süper Ligi (BSL). Standing at 6 ft 5.75 in (1.97 m), he plays at the point guard position.

Early years

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Kenan Sipahi was born in 1995 in Pristina, FR Yugoslavia to Xhelal Spahiu or Celal Sipahi, and Bisera Spahiu or Bisera Sipahi. He has been described as having Albanian[1] or Turkish[2] background. Sipahi started playing basketball in Pristina at the age of nine and became a top-level prospect in Turkey at age 15.

Professional career

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He made his professional debut in the Turkish League with Tofaş Bursa during the 2010–11 season. He was already playing regularly at the age of 16.

Sipahi made his breakthrough in a 2012–13 season. He played plenty of minutes in the league and EuroChallenge. On January 15, 2013, he scored a game winning three-pointer against Khimik. He averaged 7 points and 2.7 assists in 32 league games.

On September 2, 2013, he signed a three-year contract with option to extend for one season with Fenerbahçe.[3][4] At the age of 19, he made the roster of Fenerbahçe in the Euroleague. In February 2014, he had season-ending injury, after breaking his arm in Turkish Cup game against Trabzonspor.[5] In his first Euroleague season with the team, he averaged 2.7 points, 1.1 assists and 1 rebound over 15 games.

On September 30, 2015, he was loaned to Karşıyaka for one season.[6] Over the season, he averaged 7.6 points, 4.2 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game in the Turkish League, while also having career-high averages of 5.3 points and 3.7 assists in the Euroleague. On July 1, 2016, he was released from Fenerbahçe.[7]

On July 13, 2016, Sipahi signed a one-year contract with Beşiktaş.[8] On July 18, 2017, he re-signed with Beşiktaş for two more seasons.[9] On August 6, 2019, Sipahi signed a two-year deal with Spanish club Coosur Real Betis.[10]

On July 16, 2020, he signed with Fenerbahçe of the Turkish Basketball Super League.[11] On June 17, 2021, Sipahi parted ways with the Turkish club once more.

On September 15, 2021, he signed with Casademont Zaragoza of the Liga ACB.[12] Sipahi parted ways with the team on December 10.[13]

On December 16, 2021, he signed with Beşiktaş Icrypex of the Basketbol Süper Ligi (BSL).[14]

On June 21, 2022, he signed with Pınar Karşıyaka of the Basketbol Süper Ligi (BSL) for as second stint after six years.[15]

On January 7, 2025, he signed with Bahçeşehir Koleji of the Turkish Basketbol Süper Ligi (BSL).[16]

Turkish national team

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Sipahi is a regular Turkish youth national team player. He helped Turkey's U-18 national team win the gold medal at the 2013 FIBA Europe Under-18 Championship, where he was named to the MVP and All-Tournament Team, averaging 10.9 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 5.0 assists. Also he played at the EuroBasket 2017 with Turkey's men's basketball national team

Personal life

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Sipahi is fluent in Turkish, Albanian, Bosnian language and English.[17] He married Albanian model Ilda Abazi in July 2021 in a lavish ceremony at the Ciragan Kempinski palace in Istanbul.[18]

Career statistics

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Legend
  GP Games played   GS  Games started  MPG  Minutes per game
 FG%  Field-goal percentage  3P%  3-point field-goal percentage  FT%  Free-throw percentage
 RPG  Rebounds per game  APG  Assists per game  SPG  Steals per game
 BPG  Blocks per game  PPG  Points per game  PIR  Performance index rating
 Bold  Career high

Euroleague

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Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG PIR
2013–14 Fenerbahçe 15812.6.517.364.7001.01.1.5.12.72.1
2014–15 22119.8.318.192.750.8.7.4.01.6.2
2015–16 Karşıyaka 10518.9.358.200.6881.13.7.9.05.36.1
Career 472412.6.381.228.700.91.4.5.02.82.0

Accomplishments and awards

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Individual

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References

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  1. ↑ "KENAN SPAHIU TE SKUADRA E NJOHUR SPANJOLLE". Asisti Online. 21 September 2021. Retrieved 27 September 2024. Basketbollisti me prejardhje shqiptare, Kenan Spahiu
  2. ↑ "Kenan Sipahi kimdir?". SuperHaber. 5 August 2020. Retrieved 20 October 2021. Kosova'da doğmuş büyümüş Türk kökenli basketbolcudur
  3. ↑ "Fenerbahce Ulker sign Kenan Sipahi". sportando.net. Retrieved 5 July 2014.
  4. ↑ "Fenerbahçe Ülker'de 3 yeni isim". fenerbahce.org (in Turkish). 2 July 2013. Retrieved 30 September 2015.
  5. ↑ "Fenerbahce Ulker loses Sipahi for 3 months". euroleague.net. Retrieved 5 July 2014.
  6. ↑ "Fenerbahce officially loans Kenan Sipahi to Pinar Karsiyaka". sportando.com. 30 September 2015. Retrieved 30 September 2015.
  7. ↑ "Infırmation about Kenan Sipahi contract". Archived from the original on July 3, 2016. Retrieved 2016-07-01.
  8. ↑ "Kenan Sipahi Beşiktaş Sompo Japan'da". bjk.com.tr (in Turkish). 13 September 2016. Retrieved 13 September 2016.
  9. ↑ Besiktas Sompo Japan re-sign Kenan Sipahi for two seasons
  10. ↑ "Kenan Sipahi signs with Real Betis". Sportando. 6 August 2019. Archived from the original on 6 August 2019. Retrieved 6 August 2019.
  11. ↑ "Fenerbahce welcomes back Sipahi". Eurobasket. July 16, 2020. Retrieved July 16, 2020.
  12. ↑ "Kenan Sipahi signs with Casademont Zaragoza". Sportando. September 15, 2021. Retrieved September 15, 2021.
  13. ↑ "Sipahi leaves Zaragoza". Eurobasket. December 10, 2021. Retrieved December 10, 2021.
  14. ↑ "Beşiktaş Icrypex, Kenan Sipahi'nin transferini açıkladı! - Spor Haberi". www.hurriyet.com.tr. Retrieved 2021-12-16.
  15. ↑ "Karşıyaka Kenan Sipahi'yi açıkladı" (in Turkish). basketfaul. June 21, 2022. Retrieved June 21, 2022.
  16. ↑ @BKBasketbol (January 7, 2025). "Kenan Sipahi, Bahçeşehir Koleji'nde!" (Tweet) – via X (formerly Twitter).
  17. ↑ "Pričaj srpski da te turski košarkaš razume: Kenan Sipahi o duelu sa Srbijom #EuroBasket2017". youtube.com. Retrieved 7 September 2017.
  18. ↑ "Almeda marries her sister".
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