6 Mario Kasun C 2.13 7 Charles Smith F 1.93 8 Igor Rakocevic G 1.91 9 Preston Shumpert F 1.98 11 Bootsy Thornton G 1.95 12 Kerem Gonlum F 2.08 14 Kaya Peker C 2.08 15 Bostjan Nachbar F 2.07 19 Kerem Tunçeri G 1.90 32 Sinan Guler G 1.92 33 Ender Arslan G 1.88 - Daniel Santiago C 2.16 Head Coach: Ergin Ataman

Fresh off its first Turkish League title in years, Efes Pilsen is poised to bounce back in the 2009-10 Euroleague, too, with an upgraded roster hungry for all the success it can get its hands on. Head coach Ergin Ataman returned to Efes a year ago and built a promising roster, but early injuries and lack of time together saw the team miss last season's Top 16 by a single victory. Efes eventually came together nicely as the season progressed and finished by winning the Turkish League and Cup double. The club has kept the core of that roster together by bringing back nine key players while adding three big-name veterans: two-time Euroleague top scorer Igor Rakocevic, All-Eurocup First-Team forward Bostjan Nachbar and veteran center Daniel Santiago, a starter on two Final Four teams in the last three seasons. Their distinct types of firepower come in addition to that of existing stars like Charles Smith, another former Alphonso Ford Top Scorer Trophy winner, to give Efes potentially more scoring on paper than at any time in the recent past. Add to them an all-around ace like Bootsy Thornton, himself a former All-Euroleague Second Team selection, homegrown playmakers Kerem Tunceri and Ender Arslan, plus the seasoned inside trio of Kaya Peker, Mario Kasun and Kerem Gonlum, and Efes certainly has reason to think big. There is no doubt the club is doing just that after putting together a roster so deep in talent and experience. Simply put, Efes has already shown a serious ambition to contend for a place at the 2010 Final Four in Paris.



Ataman will trust the playmaking skills to two seasoned floor generals, Tunceri and Arslan, who have shared point guard duties in the past both for Efes Pilsen and the Turkish national team. Tunceri is a half-court tactician who can help teammates with assists in bunches or can burn opponents who fail to respect his own scoring ability. Arslan is more of a creative fire-starter who can get run the fastbreak, drive and dish or knock down three-pointers with equal ease. Their main targets for assists will be Rakocevic and Smith. Rakocevic was named All-Euroleague First Team last season and made the Final Four in the previous two, all with Tau Ceramica. Known internationally as a true scoring ace, with unlimited shooting range and confidence, Rakocevic is the only player to have won the Alphonso Ford Top Scorer Trophy twice. Though he needs no help creating his own shots, Rakocevic is downright deadly when defenses cannot focus solely on him. Smith, who can sink three-pointers as well as finish the break or throw down baseline alley-oops, is the perfect foil to take some defensive heat off Rakocevic. Playing them together will be like Efes asking opponents to pick their poison. Thornton gives Efes even more options as a virtuoso post-up scorer or passer and the kind of non-stop defender who can ignite fastbreaks. He is first and foremost a team player who fills in the blanks of whatever is needed to win. Preston Shumpert is another tough small forward with a smooth shot and nose for the ball who can take over games when he's hot, while athletic Sinan Guler rounds out the perimeter arsenal of Efes.

Nachbar returns to the Euroleague seven seasons after he was in the Final Four as a youngster with Benetton Treviso in 2003. With the shooting skills and speed of a perimeter player, but the size of a power forward, Nachbar is a miss-match for most opponents. His ability to direct the offense and finish possessions as either a scorer or passer makes him particularly unique among big men. Peker starts his eighth season with Efes Pilsen. A crowd favorite because of his hustle and attitude, Peker is also a superb low-post scorer. Gonlum suits up for his fifth straight season in Efes blue. He ranks second on the Euroleague career charts for offensive rebounds and promises to continue cleaning up whatever misses come his way. Santiago arrives having helped each of his last two teams reach the Final Four and eager to show Efes the way, too. Santiago's size alone makes him an imposing player, but his experience and often unstoppable post-up game make him a strategic player of great importance. Yet another big man, Mario Kasun, missed most of last season to a wrist injury, but when healthy is as strong and athletic as it gets for a center his size. Kasun is also a great offensive rebounder who loves to finish plays by dunking, something that is sure to bring the Efes Pilsen fans to their seats this season as the Turkish champs take aim at a special season in the Euroleague.

MARIO KASUN, CENTER When Mario Kasun joined Efes Pilsen a year ago, both had the intention of seeing him become a protagonist in the paint based on his size and talent. Those plans were derailed by a wrist injury, his third significant physical problem in as many seasons. Kasun was limited to a single Euroleague game, the last of the regular season, a defeat that kept Efes out of the Top 16. Now, however, Kasun is back and healthy, psyched to return to the Euroleague and prove himself again among the very best. Originally a soccer player who didn't commit to basketball until he was 14, Kasun still has the mobility of a midfielder: He has added to his basketball arsenal at every stop in his career, starting in his native Croatia, through time spent in Germany, America, Spain and now Turkey. Kasun's most impressive traits are physical: his sheer athleticism and speed are rare for a center and allow him to make exciting plays at both ends of the floor. Indeed, Kasun has filled highlight reels with his dunks and blocked shots, which in addition to helping his team on the scoreboard, also tend to build momentum and get the fans involved. A bonus for Kasun this season will be playing in such a deep frontcourt. Knowing ahead of time that he'll be sharing minutes allows Kasun to play aggressive and unleash his full force without worrying about fouls. One positive trait that Kasun has shown in the past is that he can contribute greatly even in limited minutes. Kasun's innate rebounding ability could prove a key ingredient that helps put Efes over the top. And that goes for rebounding at both ends of the floor. Kasun enters this season ranked sixth in a tie among the Euroleague's best offensive rebounders per minute during this decade. Efes Pilsen has set lofty goals this season, but don't be surprised to see the club meet its expectations with a healthy Super Mario powering the way.