Thank You

7/14/2017

To My Fenerbahce Fans and my Turkish Fans

This is going to be a tough one. I have so much love for you all and have grown so much the last two years being a part of the Fenerbahce family. However, the time has come for me to move forward and continue my career in the NBA. This decision has been weighing on me for the past couple years if I was given the chance to play in the NBA again…. Please understand that I want this opportunity more than anything in life right now. I will strive to be better than I was in my first stint in the NBA. I want to be able to say that I can play and compete in the best league in the world.

This decision is solely about competing at the highest level at a game that I love. But the reality is that Fenerbahce and Turkey rekindled my love for basketball. You all helped me become "me" again. For that I am forever grateful.

For my youngins, please be the best person that you can be and strive for greatness. Don’t let anybody tell you that you cannot do something. No matter if you have to take the long route, it will will be worth at the end.

After every season, I plan on coming back to Turkey to see y’all. Soccer matches, basketball camps, and dinners because without y’all, I wouldn’t be here!!!

Thank You and Love You All
ADAMSIN

Peace

Yurt içi ve yurtdışındaki tüm Fenerbahçe taraftarlarıma

Bu benim için oldukça zor olacak. Size karşı çok büyük sevgim var ve Fenerbahçe ailemin bireyleri olarak son iki senede daha da büyüdü. Ama artık ileriye bir adım atmamın ve kariyerimi NBA’de devam etmemin zamanı geldi. Bu kararı verme konusu, yani tekrar NBA’de oynama şansım olursa vereceğim karar, son birkaç senedir üzerimde hep bir yüktü.
Ne olur beni anlayın, bu şansı hayattaki her şeyden daha çok istiyorum. NBA’deki ilk tecrübeme göre daha iyi olabilmek için büyük mücadele vereceğim. Dünyanın en iyi liginde oynadığımı ve rekabetçi olduğumu söyleyebilmek istiyorum.

Bu karar tamamen sevdiğim oyunu en üst seviyede oynamak için. Ama gerçek şu ki Fenerbahçe ve Türkiye kesinlikle basketbola olan aşkımı pekiştirdi. Hepimiz, benim tekrar “ben” olmamda bana yardımcı oldunuz. Ve bunun için ömür boyu minnettar olacağım.

Ve genç insanlarım, lütfen olabileceğiniz en iyi kişi olmak için çaba gösterin ve mükemmeliyet için savaşın. Kimseye, sizin herhangi bir şeyi yapamayacağınızı söylemesine izin vermeyin. Uzun yoldan bile gitmeniz gerekse, sonunda buna değecektir.

Her sezon bitiminde Türkiye’ye sizleri görmeye geleceğim. Futbol maçları, basketbol kampları ve yemekler için çünkü sizler olmasaydınız ben burada olmayacaktım.
Size çok teşekkür ediyorum ve sizi seviyorum.

ADAMSIN

32 Comments

mkucukmeral

7/15/2017 06:12:25 am

ADAMSIN! Our hearts and supports will always be with you. We love you in deep and will never forget you Ekpe. Hope to see you again.

Seda

7/15/2017 06:19:14 am

We thank you all you have done for team and for us.i know some fans get angry, be sure because of they love you sooo much.good luck we'll miss u✌🏿💙💛

Orhan

7/15/2017 06:22:32 am

We've been waiting for this message nearly for 48 hours. Lets say better late than never :)

I understand that this is your own journey to prove yourself to no other than you.

I respect...

Hope all the best for you, we'll follow :)

Kağan

7/15/2017 06:27:19 am

Thank you for all the memories, Ekpe. Thank you for giving your best. Thank you for making our dreams come true. I hope you get yours. Please don't mind the trolls, you know how people are on the internet. We won't forget you, don't forget us.

Technical Faul Basketball link

7/15/2017 06:35:39 am

Good luck in NBA Ekpe. You're special for Turkish basketball fans!

Aoux

7/15/2017 06:37:09 am

It was an honor and a privilege to be able to watch you do your thing, become a better version of yourself, as a player and as a person. Such inspiring athletes like yourself are quite rare these days and you showed us how a public figure can set an example on different aspects of life. Know this: people may say unkind things after the news of you leaving the club but this is all because how valuable you are to them. Time will pass and they will remember you as who you are, a hero.

Oğuz

7/15/2017 06:39:33 am

At the end of the day there is nothing we can do about your decision but I want to give my two cents as a fan.

No one is mad that you wanted to go to NBA or you wanted to be closer to your family. We respect that. Any negative reaction you might be getting at this point is only because we feel used and decieved by you.

You said you would never want to play for another coach again or that you won't leave unless something extraordinary happens. And you made us believe it was your choice to stay. You made us love you for all the wrong reasons. This isn't about a change of mind.

One day we wake up and find out that the only reason you said you'd stay was because you had never gotten the chance to leave before. And you took the first chance you got. I, for what it's worth, think it is ugly. It hurts to see one of our favourite players only saw this team as "the long route" back to the NBA.

I don't doubt that you love the fans. It is only common decency to return the love of thousands of people. And I will be forever grateful for everything you did on and off the court. I'm also glad that your efforts are finding its fruititon.

However, you handled your leaving in such a tasteless manner. So sudden and mysterious. Now, I can't help but feel like every good thing you did here kind of lost its meaning. All of this could've been solved if you were kind enough to post a goodbye letter before we heard the news and before you started liking utahjazz posts.

You might think, hell I'm just a professional player. Why is everyone mad? But the truth is, fans only loved you because they thought you were not just a robotic professional player. You know there are too many of them already. The passion you loved seeing from fans is because fans, by nature, are emotionally driven. And that coin has 2 sides. When we love, we love hard. When we feel hurt, we also react emotionally.

I understand that you are ambitious about making it in the NBA. But one thing you will learn as you get older is that ambitions mean nothing next to the hearts of the people you won over as the course of your life. I hope you won't regret this decision in a few decades. But I know I regretted similar things I did in your age.

Lastly, thank you, too.

Enes

7/15/2017 06:41:41 am

Thank you for everything, Ekpe! I really love you for your personality and your basketball style. But i wish you had not gone.. If they ask me ' One more year with Ekpe or without Ekpe' , Know that i choose 'with you. We love you Ekpe. Don't forget us!

Ertuğrul Kaan

7/15/2017 06:51:57 am

I was waiting this post when you decided to go to Nba. I was thinking why Ekpe agreed Utah's contract. It is obviously that i was afraid because Ekpe didn't be pleasure our love. Can it be true? But when i read it, i sensed your emotions directly. You always will be in my heart Udoh. I will support you wherever you go. Please don't forget us forever😭😭BABAM✌🏿

Nursena

7/15/2017 06:54:43 am

We always support you wherever you go and dont forget you da real MVP!!!💙💛

selahattin

7/15/2017 07:05:43 am

Ekpe,
You have been the best personality and character I've seen on and off the court and will always pray for your success even if this will move you away from Fenerbahce. We'll be proud with your achievements in the NBA and are sure that you'll be at the level you deserve this time. Turkey will always be your second home. May the best of luck with always be with you 👍👏👏💜

Çiğdem

7/15/2017 07:20:12 am

Ekpe Ekpe!I'm so sorry. When I learnt your decision, I cried very much. Now, I am still crying. Because, we love you a lot. There is a very special connection between you and us. You are a very good person and a man. We need people like you in this country. Be sure! Not only Fenerbahce fans, everyone loved you vey much in Turkey. I hope you are happy. Thanks for everything. Good luck in NBA. Take care.

SelçukFB link

7/15/2017 07:29:55 am

Come to us next year...

Axel

7/15/2017 07:30:39 am

Man, we'll miss you so much... Don't ever forget us cause we won't. Much love.

Tolga

7/15/2017 07:50:53 am

Adamsın!

love you man!

7/15/2017 08:22:13 am

Ekpe thx for the great season. you are our legend. and now we have a request from you. please tell your friends how great fenerbahce is and make new fenerbahce fans. i want to see your teammates in fenerbahce jersey. never forget us because we are gonna follow your games and hope your success..
we are very sad now. im at 30 and crying like a baby. thanks for all amazing moments when you are in turkey. mustafa kemal'in askerleriyiz(we are the soldier of mustafa kemal :)

Umut

7/15/2017 08:26:40 am

Adamsın! Yolun açık olsun.

cyrndvy

7/15/2017 09:02:29 am

We understand you Ekpe. Yes, we are amazingly sorry but our happiness since you will live your dream much more bigger than our suffer.
Don't mind the fans those who are mad at you, we are proud of you.
When block someone hit the ball for us, when you dunk shake the rim for us, when you win a game be happy for us well as if we were watching you because our hearts will always be with you.
And don't forget us Ekpe not because we got cups in last two years don't forget us because we love you for your character, your humanity, your dedication to the team..
Go and live your dream, reach your goals.
Maybe one day, again...
Farewell..
ADAMSIN
(By the way keep an eye on Boggy for us ;)

volkan

7/15/2017 05:16:21 pm

hi dear "man" we love and support you and not change anything for us because you touch our hearts ..in my country there is a advice: if you really love anyone, let it go, if returns to you, it's yours but not return to you already never you haven't ..

good luck for your new adventure

not(beyler ingilizcem bu kadar adama evlenme teklif etmiş olma ihtimalim yüksek hepiniz düğüne davetlisiniz)

aslan

7/16/2017 12:08:18 pm

We always love you.I wish we can see again you at fb but ı think it is impossible because you might be leave play basketball at nba. I am sorry for that but best of luck on your carrier :)

LASTLY,ADAMSIN.

ilhan link

7/17/2017 05:46:08 pm

Çok erken veda ettim. Yaptıkların için teşekkürler. Yolun açık olsun ♡

TALAT KUŞÇUOĞLU

7/17/2017 09:41:00 pm

We love you ekpe. Good luck... ADAMSIN!

Mustafa

7/17/2017 10:03:47 pm

Adamın dibisin, herşeyin en güzelini hak ediyorsun.
Yolun açık olsun,NBA deki diğer Fenerli kardeşlerine de sahip çık.
Gözümüz hep NBA de olacak. Başarılarınızı büyük bir zevkle seyr edecez.
Haydi NBA de FENER Damgasını basın.Sizler Fenerli Kültüründen geliyorsunuz, takımlarınız değişik olsa dahi.
Türkiye de kapılar sana ardına kadar açık. Yolun açık olsun dev yürekli Kocaman Adam.......

Yavuz

7/17/2017 10:29:10 pm

Thank you Ekbe we never forget you and your performance for f.b team thank you long men.

Mehmet Karakoca

7/17/2017 10:33:25 pm

Bu taraf sizi asla unutmayacak . Yaptığınız herşey için teşekkürler . Her zaman kalbimizdesiniz bogdan ve udoh / This side will never forget you. Thank you for everything you did. It's always our hearts, bogdan and udoh.

Umut link

7/17/2017 11:53:09 pm

Thank you Ekpe. Adamsın. We never forget you. Success in your new life.
Adamsın Adam.💙💛💙💛💙💛

Bilal

7/18/2017 01:28:38 am

We will never forget you!

Mert

7/18/2017 02:02:43 am

We never forget you. thanks for all but i am feel bad now :( dont make me sad come back next year.

mert

7/18/2017 02:58:33 am

Do great in nba

Murat

7/18/2017 01:26:29 pm

I cannot say i'm not disappointed but thanks anyway...

Good luck in NBA.

Vahit

7/18/2017 10:22:00 pm

Great guy who liked basketball with you, goodbye

Ensar Çelik

7/26/2017 08:52:55 am

I don't know Ekpe if you read these comments, but i really hope you'll read this one, it tells about everything you seem to be struggling to understand.

I was hurt by your departure, like all of our fans. Not because you chose to be in NBA, which is a better league in every way... But because we felt like we were deceived. You were always talking about how much you loved it here, how you wanted to stay here... Of course we knew that you would leave if you had a good opportunity to go back to NBA. But the offer you accepted? Almost half of the money you make here? In Utah? They won't be a contender... They won't give you so much chance to prove yourself... since they have Gobert in your positon... it can also be seen if you look at the money they offered you. That's how much you're worth for them. That decision makes no sense in any way...

Trust me even then we thought about you. We were talking in fan forums, "I wish Ekpe was gone with a better contract, to another team where he could play more minutes.." stuff like that. We were hurt and disappointed but noone wished bad for you.

Then something else came up. News about you, saying that you're trying your best not to go back to Europe... was it that bad Ekpe? Then why did you pretend to like it? Why did you pretend to be happy? Just to get fans' attention and love?

You know, Bogdan never made such promises. He never did something just to make fans love him. We loved him nevertheless. We would have loved you as well, without all those show business... and you see anyone saying something bad for Bogdan? NO. A lot of Fenerbahçe fans will wake up in the morning to watch his games, to cheer for him. There are no hard feelings. With you? Not quite.

You must admit that you also couldn't manage that departure process very well... maybe you didn't care...

Still, even then i had not a single bad though for you. I was going to support you like i will support Bogdan. Then today, i see a ridicilous RT on your twitter... Don't you know Ekpe, the internet is a place filled with trolls and teenagers? Who wrote that shit was probably someone 13-14 years old... who was apparently trolling. He even wrote that he said it just to mess around... But you RT that crap? While you ignore all the loving comments from our fans?

I must ask you now. Why??? To justify yourself with your decision? To imply that our fans are all like that, and you could barely get away from a place like that... to make us all look bad cuz of spite? I don't know, i don't wish to know.

But your value for me dropped and hit the bottom. We owe you so much, thanks for everything you've done here... even though you owe us and Zeljko too, for reviving your ruined career... thanks for everything you did on-court... thanks for visiting children in schools and making them happy... thanks for all the good memories... but... the way you left? The way you played fans' feelings? The way your words changed after you left? Don't expect us to be thankful for all these shit.

I cried when we lost the championship last year. Not because we lost the cup. But because i loved that team so much... because i saw you, sitting on the floor, your head down... because of your "i'm sorry" tweet... because i didn't wanna see you or anyone else in that team unhappy...

I was in the arena when we were playing Real Madrid... that moment when you blocked Doncic and all the fans chanting your name... with hand movements like we were kneeling before you.. such a great memory... that's what i thought until now...

You ruined all that. I hope it will be worth it.

Take care.

Thank You

Leave a Reply.

Archives