Metecan Birsen

Metecan Birsen

Birsen with Fenerbahçe in 2024
No. 1 – Fenerbahçe Beko
Position	Power forward / small forward
League	BSL EuroLeague
Personal information
Born	(1995-04-06) April 6, 1995 (age 30) Kadıköy, Istanbul, Turkey
Nationality	Turkish / Irish
Listed height	6 ft 10 in (2.08 m)
Listed weight	223 lb (101 kg)
Career information
NBA draft	2017: undrafted
Playing career	2011–present
Career history
2011–2015	Fenerbahçe
2014–2015	→Eskişehir
2015–2017	İstanbul BB
2017–2018	Sakarya BB
2018–2019	Anadolu Efes
2019–2021	Pınar Karşıyaka
2021–present	Fenerbahçe
Career highlights
EuroLeague champion (2025) 5× Turkish BSL champion (2014, 2019, 2022, 2024, 2025) 3× Turkish Cup winner (2013, 2024, 2025) 3× Turkish Presidential Cup winner (2013, 2018, 2025) Nike International Junior Tournament MVP (2012)
Medals Men's basketball Representing  Turkey FIBA Europe Under-20 Championship 2014 Greece U-20 Team 2015 Italy U-20 Team FIBA Europe Under-18 Championship 2013 Latvia U-18 Team FIBA Europe Under-16 Championship 2010 Montenegro U-16 Team

Birsen with Sakarya BB in 2018

James Metecan Birsen (born April 6, 1995) is a Turkish-Irish[1] professional basketball player for Fenerbahçe of the Turkish Super League (BSL) and the EuroLeague. Standing at 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m), he plays at the small forward and power forward positions.

Birsen grew up with the Fenerbahçe Ülker juniors team and he made his debut with Fenerbahçe during the 2011–12 season. On 26 August 2014, he was loaned for a season to Olin Edirne, later renamed as Eskişehir Basket.[2][3] Then Olin Edirne relocated to Eskişehir as Eskişehir Basket. Over 23 Turkish League games played in the 2014–15 season, he averaged 3.1 points and 1.9 rebounds per game.

On 12 June 2018, Birsen was announced by Anadolu Efes, where he signed a 2-year contract.[4]

On July 17, 2019, he has signed 1-year deal with Pınar Karşıyaka of the Turkish Super League.[5]

On June 29, 2021, Birsen signed a three-year (2+1) deal with Fenerbahçe of the Turkish Super League and the EuroLeague, returning to the club after six seasons.[6] On May 30, 2023, he renewed his contract through 2026.

He has been member of the Turkish Under-16 and Under-18 national team.[7] He won the bronze medal at the 2010 European U-16 Championship.

Legend

GP	Games played	GS	Games started	MPG	Minutes per game
FG%	Field-goal percentage	3P%	3-point field-goal percentage	FT%	Free-throw percentage
RPG	Rebounds per game	APG	Assists per game	SPG	Steals per game
BPG	Blocks per game	PPG	Points per game	PIR	Performance index rating
Bold	Career high	†	Won a EuroLeague championship

As of match played 1 October 2025[8]

Year	Team	GP	GS	MPG	FG%	3P%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	PPG	PIR
2013–14	Fenerbahçe	8	1	5.5	.286	.000	.500	1.1	—	.4	.1	0.6	0.5
2018–19	Anadolu Efes	9	1	3.9	.600	.333	—	.4	.3	—	.1	1.4	1.4
2021–22	Fenerbahçe	14	0	7.9	.250	.222	.333	1.2	.3	.1	—	0.9	0.6
2022–23		28	3	7.7	.345	.323	.667	1.5	.3	.1	.0	2.0	1.5
2024–25†		2	0	3.2	.500	—	1.0	2.0	—	—	—	2.0	2.5
2025–26		1	0	1.2	1.000	.000	1.000	.0	.0	.0	.0	3.0	5.0
Career		62	5	6.4	.429	.289	.600	1.2	.3	.1	.1	1.5	1.2

Year	Team	GP	GS	MPG	FG%	3P%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	PPG
2020–21	Karşıyaka	14	7	21.8	.432	.300	.800	5.5	.9	.4	.1	6.4
Career		14	7	21.8	.432	.300	.800	5.5	.9	.4	.1	6.4

Year	Team	GP	GS	MPG	FG%	3P%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	PPG
2019–20	Karşıyaka	14	10	22.4	.427	.300	.786	5.4	1.9	.7	.5	8.7
Career		14	10	22.4	.427	.300	.786	5.4	1.9	.7	.5	8.7

†	Denotes seasons in which Birsen won the domestic league

Year	Team	League	GP	MPG	FG%	3P%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	PPG
2011–12	Fenerbahçe	TBL	2	2.7	.000	.000	—	.5	—	—	—	0.0
2012–13	İstanbul BB	TB2L	17	12.6	.478	.250	.613	3.6	.6	.1	.1	5.2
2012–13	Fenerbahçe	TBL	6	4.4	.556	.333	.500	.7	.3	.2	—	2.3
2013–14†	Fenerbahçe	TBL	27	10.7	.488	.382	.613	1.8	.6	.3	.0	4.1
2014–15	Eskişehir	TBL	22	13.7	.419	.182	.667	1.9	.7	.3	.1	3.3
2015–16	İstanbul BB	TBSL	27	13.7	.455	.351	.581	3.0	.5	.4	.1	4.5
2016–17	İstanbul BB	TBSL	22	16.7	.427	.333	.690	2.6	.6	.4	.1	5.9
2017–18	Sakarya BB	TBSL	25	25.6	.432	.171	.706	6.1	2.0	.8	.1	8.3
2018–19†	Anadolu Efes	TBSL	35	13.0	.435	.352	.818	2.7	.7	.4	.1	4.3
2019–20	Karşıyaka	TBSL	23	22.2	.473	.329	.632	4.8	1.6	.7	.1	9.1
2020–21	Karşıyaka	TBSL	32	23.3	.430	.360	.692	5.4	1.3	.4	.1	8.9
2021–22†	Fenerbahçe	TBSL	41	16.3	.449	.300	.780	2.9	.9	.5	.0	5.3
2022–23	Fenerbahçe	TBSL	22	22.2	.446	.397	.548	4.9	1.1	1.0	.1	6.4
2023–24†	Fenerbahçe	TBSL	17	9.1	.276	.091	.286	2.1	.4	.1	.1	1.1

He was born to a Turkish father and an Irish mother.[9][10]

• Metecan Birsen at draftexpress.com
• Metecan Birsen at eurobasket.com
• Metecan Birsen at euroleague.net
• James Metecan Birsen at fiba.com
• Metecan Birsen at tblstat.net
• Metecan Birsen on Twitter