İlkan Karaman (May 13, 1990 – September 8, 2024) was a Turkish professional basketball player.
Professional career
Karaman made his professional debut in the TB2L with Tofaş Bursa during the 2007–08 season. He signed a contract with Pınar Karşıyaka after playing four years for Tofaş Bursa.
On August 17, 2012, Karaman signed a three-year contract with Fenerbahçe.[2] In the 2012–13 season Karaman played in 29 games for Fenerbahçe in the Turkish Basketball League and 22 games in the EuroLeague.[3] In the 2013 off-season he underwent arthroscopic surgery on both knees to relieve chronic patellar tendinitis, which prevented him from playing the following season.[4] On July 1, 2014, he parted ways with Fenerbahçe.[5]
On September 1, 2016, he signed with Beşiktaş for the 2016–17 season.[7]
On July 12, 2017, Karaman signed with İstanbul BB.[8] He left Istanbul after appearing in eight league games. On January 16, 2018, he signed with Büyükçekmece.[9]
Karaman was selected by the Brooklyn Nets with the 57th pick of the 2012 NBA draft.[17] He became officially the first player drafted by the Nets after their move to Brooklyn (the team acquired two higher picks in exchange for cash after they were selected by other teams). After the draft Nets general manager Billy King stated that the team intended for Karaman to develop his skills while continuing to play in Europe. This process (often referred to as "Euro-stashing") allowed the Nets to retain Karaman's NBA rights without offering him a contract.[18]
Karaman died on September 8, 2024, in Datça after he was hit by a car driven by a drunk driver.[21] Karaman was 34.[22] Two days later, he was buried in Kapaklı, Tekirdağ.[23]
^Gold, Matthew (November 23, 2020). "Cavaliers Acquire JaVale McGee from Los Angeles Lakers". NBA.com. In a separate transaction with the Milwaukee Bucks on November 18th, the Cavaliers acquired the Bucks' 2025 second round draft pick in exchange for the draft rights to Ilkan Karaman (originally drafted in 2012 by the Brooklyn Nets).
