Sadık Emir Kabaca is a power forward who continues to develop within the Turkish basketball community and has regularly earned national team invitations since the youth academy. Kabaca began his career with Bandırma Red, playing for various teams in the Turkish leagues and competing in international competitions such as the Basketball Champions League at the club level. He has played in various tournaments for the national team, both at the youth and senior levels, and exhibits a versatile playing profile, with contributions from below the basket and attempts at outside shots, suited to his position.

Birth and Nationality

Sadık Emir Kabaca was born in Izmir on December 13, 2000. According to official records, the player, born in Izmir, Türkiye, is a Turkish citizen. He played in the local youth academy from a young age and later earned a place on the national team roster.

The Beginning of a Club Career

Sadık Emir Kabaca began his professional career playing for Bandırma Red. He played his first official matches with this team, which competed in the youth and development leagues organized by the Turkish Basketball Federation; the experience he gained there laid the groundwork for his next steps. He then transferred to Teksüt Bandırma in early 2020 to participate in the Basketball Champions League (BCL). He played in eight matches on this platform during the 2020-21 season and became one of the players included in the squad for international club tournaments held across Europe. This period, in which he participated in European competitions for the first time at the professional level, laid the groundwork for Kabaca's subsequent career.

His Career in the Countries He Played

Sadık Emir Kabaca's entire professional club experience has been in the Turkish leagues. He played in eight matches in the Basketball Champions League for Teksüt Bandırma during the 2020-21 season and played in three matches in the FIBA Europe Cup with Beşiktaş Icrypex during the 2021-22 season. He continued his basketball Champions League campaign with Galatasaray over the next three seasons, playing in 12 matches in the 2022-23 season and 14 matches each in the 2023-24 and 2024-25 seasons. He has no official club-level competitive record in any other country.

National Team Career

Roughly speaking, he began his national team career in 2018 at the FIBA U18 European Championship, where he averaged 9.6 points and 7.0 rebounds per game in the group stage. He earned his first call-up to the 2022 EuroBasket, where he played in nine games, averaging 4.4 minutes per game and 2.0 points and 1.0 rebounds per game. He participated in the 2023 World Cup European Qualifiers, averaging 5.8 points and 2.6 rebounds in 16.3 minutes per game in seven games. He also averaged 8.0 minutes, 2.3 points, and 1.0 rebounds in four games at the Olympic Qualifying Tournament that same year. Between tournaments, the national team has a continuous roster, spanning from various age categories to the senior level.

Positions

According to FIBA EuroBasket 2022 records, Sadık Emir Kabaca plays the power forward position. His primary responsibilities include contributing under the basket on offense, controlling rebounds on defense, and occasionally attempting shots from behind the three-point line.

Club Achievements

He was included in the Basketball Champions League's "Best Young Player" list for his Galatasaray jersey during the 2022-23 season. He was also considered for the 2024-25 Star Lineup candidate roster as a forward in the voting category.

National Team Achievements

Sadık Emir Kabaca has yet to win a medal or trophy on the national team. The tournaments he has participated in since the youth national team have not yielded any final rankings or medals in this field.