Fenerbahce won the Turkish championship on Friday night, beating Besiktas 77-75 in Game 4 of the final after a dramatic last-second basket sealed the series 3-1. The title came on a special evening not only because of the trophy, but also because it marked the end of Nando De Colo’s playing career.
De Colo, the veteran guard, had returned to Fenerbahce in January for a second spell and had already announced he would retire when the season ended. With the season now over, he made his final appearance in basketball, playing nine minutes without scoring or grabbing a rebound, while adding three assists.
The emotional moment came after the game during the trophy celebration, when captain Melih Mahmutoglu called De Colo over so they could lift the championship trophy together for coach Sarunas Jasikevicius’s team. De Colo said the club was “very special” to him and that he was “so happy” to finish his career as a champion there.
He added, “Yes, today was my last day as a basketball player, but for me basketball will never end. You will see me in basketball in some way.”
