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Ahead of Friday’s EuroLeague Final Four semifinal in Athens, Olympiakos supporters turned the atmosphere hostile inside the arena as Turkish NBA star Alperen Sengun came under fire before Fenerbahce Beko’s clash with the Greek side.
Sengun, who traveled to support Fenerbahce during the Final Four weekend, was speaking to reporters before the game when hundreds of Greek fans started booing him. The situation quickly escalated, with several supporters throwing water bottles toward the Houston Rockets center.
The 22-year-old kept his composure during the incident, though the scenes sparked strong reactions among Turkish basketball fans online.
Before tipoff, Sengun spoke about coming to Athens to support Fenerbahce and voiced hope the Turkish side could lift the EuroLeague trophy.
"I came to support Fenerbahce. I also wish Ergin Ataman was at the Final Four, but unfortunately he isn’t. Hopefully next year," Sengun remarked. "I’m here to support Fenerbahce and hopefully we win the cup."
Touching on the atmosphere around the semifinal, Sengun pointed to previous tensions between Turkish and Greek basketball circles. "We’ve had something going on with the Greeks since last summer," he said, referring to Türkiye’s 94-68 win over Greece in the FIBA EuroBasket 2025 semifinal in Riga, where Sengun posted 15 points, 12 rebounds and six assists as Türkiye reached the final for the first time since 2001.
"You don’t see atmospheres like this in the NBA. There are also a lot of Fenerbahce fans in the arena."
Sengun also stressed the importance of defense before the game, arguing that pressure moments often affect shooting performances.
"Defense becomes more important on days like this," he added. "Hands can shake on offense and shots may not fall. Hopefully Fenerbahce comes out on top and we win."
Fenerbahce Beko, however, failed to hold off Olympiakos in the semifinal and exited the tournament with a 79-61 defeat.
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