By Semih Tuna/ info@eurohoops.net
Starting his first overseas season with 20.0 points per game in two winning efforts for Bahcesehir College Istanbul in the BKT EuroCup Regular Season, Malachi Flynn is hoping for more of the same all the way to a championship, which would secure the Istanbul side a spot in next year’s EuroLeague.
“Absolutely,” the 27-year-old point guard told Eurohoops when asked about the team’s main goal for the 2025-26 campaign. “That’s what we’re all here for. Obviously, we’ve got to go out game by game and prove it. Nothing’s going to be given to us, but I think we definitely have that potential.”
Naturally, his strong performances have already sparked interest from other European clubs.
“To be honest, I’m not really worried about what’s being said,” Flynn said. “The main thing is what’s going on within these walls – who’s on the team – and I’m committed to this team. I think we’ve got a pretty good thing going right now.”
The conversation moved from comparing life in Istanbul to his previous stops in Toronto and New York during his NBA career, to what led him to take the leap to Europe.
“Coming overseas, the biggest thing people told me was, ‘Just embrace it,’ and be open to new experiences,” he said.
“Talking to Nemanja [Bjelica, head of basketball operations] and Coach [Marko Barac], it just felt like a great opportunity. And talking to people from back home who’ve played in Turkiye – and in Istanbul specifically – they told me it’s a really good situation, especially for your first year overseas,” added the native of Tacoma, Washington.
After scoring a personal NBA best of 50 points with the Detroit Pistons in 2024, Flynn was limited to just four games with the Charlotte Hornets last season. In total, he’s appeared in 223 NBA games, suiting up for the Hornets, Pistons, New York Knicks, and Toronto Raptors.
“You want to plan out the future, but staying present is important – you never know what’s going to happen,” he said when asked about a possible NBA return. “Looking back, I didn’t know I’d be here five years ago. If someone had told me then I’d be playing overseas, I don’t know what I would’ve said. So I’m just staying open to new opportunities and making the best of it.”