Anadolu Efes S.K.
Efes Pilsen Spor Kulübü (English: Efes Pilsen Sport Club) is a Turkish basketball club based in İstanbul and sponsored by the Efes Beverage Group. It is the most successful club in the history of the Turkish Basketball League, having won the league's championship 12 times, including the last four years in succession. Their home arena is the Abdi Ipekci Sport Center.
The club was founded in 1976 through a takeover of a second-division club which had failed due to financial problems, Kadıköyspor. It won the 1978 second division championship undefeated, earning promotion to the Turkish first division, where it has played ever since. In its first top-flight season (1978-79), Efes won the league title, immediately establishing itself as one of the country's top clubs.
The club's main claim to fame was winning the Korac Cup in 1996, marking the first-ever European title in a team sport by a Turkish club. More recently, it has become a fixture in the Euroleague, making the competition's Final Four in 2000 and narrowly missing the Final Four in 2002, 2003, 2004, and 2005. Also known as final-four chaser for a long time.
Current NBA player Hedo Türkoğlu and former NBAer Mirsad Türkcan are products of Efes' youth program. A third former Efes player, İbrahim Kutluay, briefly played in the NBA.
Honors
- Korac Cup: 1996
- Turkish League: 1979, 1983, 1984, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1996, 1997, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005
- Turkish Cup: 1994, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2001, 2002, 2006
- President's Cup: 1986, 1992, 1993, 1996, 1998, 2000
- European Cup: 1993 (final)
- Euroleague: 2000 (third)
- Suproleague: 2001 (third)