Furkan Korkmaz has played the last seven seasons as a member of the Philadelphia 76ers. Philadelphia selected the Turkish guard with the 26th overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft. Korkmaz’s tenure saw seasons where he was a large part of the rotation and others where he struggled to receive playing time (especially the last two seasons).
It was a little over a week ago where it was confirmed that Korkmaz has signed with AS Monaco for the upcoming season. They are a team based in France playing in the EuroLeague.
On Monday, Korkmaz provided a heartfelt goodbye message to the 76ers fanbase and Philadelphia’s organization as a whole on his Instagram.
Longtime 76ers Player Provides Heartfelt Goodbye To Fanbase
Korkmaz Experienced Highs And Lows With The 76ers
Now 27 years old, Korkmaz didn’t always feel appreciated in Philadelphia. There were multiple times where it was reported that he requested a trade. The 76ers finally acquiesced, as he was part of a three-team deal that sent Buddy Hield to Philadelphia. Korkmaz was traded to the Indiana Pacers, who subsequently released him.
So while Korkmaz didn’t end last season with the 76ers, they are still the only NBA franchise he has played for. He decided to show his appreciation for 76ers fans and team with a lengthy message on his Instagram.
To the Sixers Family,
I didn’t have a chance to say goodbye, but now I want to take a moment to do so.
Thank you to the Sixers organization, to the amazing fans, and to my coaches and teammates. Your support and love have been incredible. I’ve made incredible friendships along the way, and I’m grateful for every moment spent on and off the court. We’ve shared so many good and tough times together. Philadelphia, The City of Brotherly Love, you will always hold a special place in my heart.
Thank you for the memories and the journey.
Now, a new chapter begins in my career. ⌛️
It was nice closure for Korkmaz with a team’s fanbase he knew well for seven years. He can now further prepare for the next chapter in his playing career.
Didn’t Play Much Last Two Seasons
From the 2019-20 to 2021-22 seasons, the six-foot-seven Korkmaz played a large role in Philadelphia’s rotation. During those three seasons, he would combine to play an average of 20.8 minutes and made 42 starts. In that time, he averaged 8.8 points and shot 36.0% from three-point territory.
The shooting guard was mostly an afterthought for the 76ers in the past two seasons. He played just 72 total games for Philadelphia in 2022-23 and 2023-24. In 2022-23, he averaged 9.5 minutes per contest. Last season, that dwindled down even further to 8.6. In 328 career regular season games for the 76ers, Korkmaz averaged 6.8 points while connecting on 35.6% of his three-point tries.
Now Korkmaz is joining an AS Monaco team that finished in third place in the EuroLeague in 2022-23 and has a lot of NBA experience on their roster. Along with Korkmaz, Donatas Motiejunas, Georgios Papagiannis, Jaron Blossomgame, Mike James, Elie Okobo, and Nick Calathes are have varying levels of NBA experience.
