Joining Dallas Mavericks is ‘beginning, not the end,’ says Türkiye’s Tarik Biberovic

25-year-old says NBA move fulfills lifelong dream after 8 seasons with Fenerbahce

Türkiye international Tarik Biberovic said joining the NBA’s Dallas Mavericks fulfills a lifelong dream but marks the beginning of a new challenge rather than the culmination of his career. “This was my dream. I am very happy that I am finally able to achieve it,” Biberovic told Anadolu in an interview about his move, his years with Fenerbahce and his goals with the Turkish national team. “I am reaching the highest point of my career, but this is not the end; it is the beginning. We will continue writing new stories,” he said. The 25-year-old said he would be entering an entirely new environment and plans to approach the challenge with the same determination he showed after joining Fenerbahce. “I will start from zero and slowly work my way up through my own efforts,” he said. “I want to get as many minutes as possible, demonstrate my ability and become one of the team’s most reliable players. I want to build a great career in the future.”   ‘Fenerbahce became my family’ Biberovic joined Fenerbahce in 2018 and developed into one of the Turkish club’s key players during his eight seasons with the Istanbul side. He said leaving the club had been emotionally difficult because Fenerbahce had become much more than a basketball team to him. “I was at Fenerbahce for eight years, so leaving was very difficult,” he said. “For me, it was not just a club; it became my family. I believe I will also be representing Fenerbahce when I go there.” Biberovic said the opportunities provided by the club helped him reach the highest level of his career. “I could never have imagined the life Fenerbahce gave me. Thanks to the opportunity I found here, I was able to reach the top,” he said. The forward also credited Fenerbahce head coach Sarunas Jasikevicius with playing a significant role in his development. “When he arrived, it was the first time in my career that I was given consistent playing time, and thanks to him I was able to show my talent,” Biberovic said. “He gave me an opportunity and also treated me like an older brother, not only as a coach. He was a great player himself and gave me valuable advice. By following it, I developed both my mental strength and my game on the court.”   Representing Türkiye ‘completely different feeling’ Biberovic also voiced optimism about Türkiye’s progress in the qualifiers for the 2027 FIBA Basketball World Cup. “Playing for the national team is a completely different feeling because we are not representing only a group of people; we are representing all of Türkiye,” he said. Biberovic said Türkiye’s standing in European basketball had grown significantly, pointing to the national team’s second-place finish at the European Championship and the presence of Turkish clubs in major continental competitions. “Being part of this makes me extremely proud,” he said. “Hopefully, we will continue to rise. This is a good beginning, and we are moving along a good path.” “There are still many trophies to win. Hopefully, we will also demonstrate what we are capable of at the World Cup.”