Recruiting Report: Yavuz Gultekin (2019)
Yavuz Gultekin has received a flood of college opportunity after playing well in the first weekend of Open Period of play.
Gultekin plays with Mid Atlantic Select and isn’t exactly a new name around the country. Old Dominion offered last summer, Kansas State, Penn State, and George Mason offered after viewing Gultekin last fall, and DePaul moved in with an offer later in the winter. That said, the past weekend pushed the Yavuz recruitment into another level as Minnesota, TCU, Nebraska, and George Washington extended scholarship offers.
Gultekin arrived in the United States from Turkey a year ago this month enrolling at the John Carroll School in Maryland. He’s from a family of basketball players as his dad was a Turkish professional and his mother played on the Turkey national team.
Fall workouts and fall basketball camps saw Yavuz take over games with his range as well as his efforts completing possessions around the basket. Yavuz was a standout at the DMV exposure event earning MVP honors. His video was so good that Kansas State offered after the camp.
“Yavuz led the event in scoring at 12.7 points per game hitting an amazing 18 of 21 shots in the competition,” Prep Hoops analysts wrote. “Yavuz is a multi position player and defender who will become a national recruit. He is a fantastic teammate and he is very hungry to become an elite player.”
Ten months later that analysis still fits and the forecast for success has come true. At John Carroll, Gultekin had a decorated junior season. He was a Charm City Challenge standout, earned second team all conference, and put his name near the top of lists as a top area recruit after averaging 17 points, 11 rebounds, four assists, and a couple blocks for the MIAA champs.. This summer Gultekin transferred to Bishop Walsh.
Yavuz, who weighs 190 pounds and has been mentioned as a guy you could use guarding four spots at times, has also recently took visits to Villanova and Georgetown. The list of offered schools, the Cats and Hoyas, and many others joined Minnesota in watching Gultekin in the past week. The Gophers offered on Monday and Gultekin was very appreciative.
“I love the way of Minnesota basketball,” said Gultekin. “(They are) so fun to watch despite too many injuries last year. I heard very good stuff about the coaches. Coach Kyle called me for an offer and I have been in contact with him.”
Gultekin is quickly becoming a wanted commodity and one Big XII school has already locked Yavuz in for a visit.
“Several schools call me and I will have an official visit to TCU after July period.”
Tomorrow Yuvez will be in New York City with Mid Atlantic Select tomorrow in the Super 16 event and then Saturday his team is in Philly for the Elevate Hoops event. Two events in one weekend. At these events Yuvez has a goal in mind and he plans to work hard towards it.
“(My goal is to) get in top recruitments and also get 11 more offers,” Gultekin said. “I want to accomplish my dreams step by step but otherwise I wan to be the best player I can be and I’m working for that, I’m living for that.”