Talen Horton-Tucker is in the final stages of committing to his first European move, with a deal close to being finalized with EuroLeague champions Fenerbahce Istanbul, per BasketNews sources. The 24-year-old guard has played 305 NBA games, averaging 9.2 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 2.8 assists per game.
EuroLeague champions Fenerbahce Istanbul are finalizing a deal with six-year NBA guard Talen Horton-Tucker, sources tell BasketNews.
According to BasketNews sources, the 24-year-old guard is down to two options: land in Istanbul or secure a spot on an NBA roster, with a window still open for that possibility.
However, if the NBA opportunity doesn't materialize to his liking, Horton-Tucker is expected to begin his overseas career with one of the most prestigious EuroLeague clubs — Fenerbahce Istanbul, fresh off winning the 2025 EuroLeague title.
Horton-Tucker has carved out a profile in the NBA as a creative, physical guard capable of generating offense for both himself and his teammates.
Over 305 NBA games with the Los Angeles Lakers, Utah Jazz, and Chicago Bulls, he averaged 9.2 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 2.8 assists in just under 20 minutes per game, shooting 42.7% from the field.
While his most recent season with the Chicago Bulls saw a reduced role—averaging 6.5 points, 1.7 rebounds, and 1.4 assists in under 13 minutes—he flashed his upside late in the year.
In April, Horton-Tucker averaged 13.3 points, 2 rebounds, and 2.4 assists in 22 minutes of action, helping lead the Bulls to six wins in their final seven games.
Horton-Tucker's highlights in Chicago
In previous seasons with the Lakers and Jazz, Horton-Tucker had more consistent opportunities, averaging double figures in scoring across three straight campaigns.
His career high in the NBA came in 2023, when he scored 41 points.
At 1.93 m tall with an impressive 2.16 m wingspan and a strong frame, Talen Horton‑Tucker blends elite physical tools, instincts and playmaking ability.
He was selected with the 46th pick in the 2019 NBA Draft, beginning his professional career straight out of college.
He spent one season at Iowa State, where he played alongside Tyrese Haliburton. The now-All-NBA guard urged Horton-Tucker to stay for a second year, but the Chicago native opted to enter the draft early.
Horton-Tucker made history early in his NBA journey, becoming the youngest American player to win an NBA championship. He lifted the trophy with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2020 at just 19 years and 321 days old, making him the second-youngest player in league history to win a title, only behind Darko Milicic.
Fenerbahce's roster features a strong core of former NBA players, including their most recent offseason signing, Brandon Boston, who's also set for his EuroLeague debut.
The lineup also includes former NBA players such as Wade Baldwin IV, Onuralp Bitim, Devon Hall, Nicolo Melli, and Khem Birch, while 24-year-old Tarik Biberovic — whose NBA draft rights belong to the Memphis Grizzlies — is considered one of the most promising EuroLeague prospects to make the NBA jump in the coming years.
Notably, Nigel Hayes-Davis, who played a key role in Fenerbahce's EuroLeague title run, signed with the Phoenix Suns this offseason in one of the rare EuroLeague-to-NBA moves.
Donatas Urbonas
Donatas Urbonas is an award-winning Lithuanian basketball journalist, recognized as the best sports journalist in Lithuania in 2016 and the top basketball journalist in 2018. A Vilnius University journalism graduate, Urbonas has reported on major global sports events, including the Rio 2016 and Paris 2024 Olympics, FIBA World Cups, EuroBaskets, NBA Summer League, and NBA Draft.
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