Furkan Korkmaz Couldn't Believe 76ers Wanted Him Back Last Summer

Philadelphia 76ers reserve Furkan Korkmaz felt for sure he wouldn't be back with the team that drafted him in 2020. So he couldn't believe it when the Sixers came calling last summer.

The NBA journey for Philadelphia 76ers guard Furkan Korkmaz wasn't exactly an easy road. Despite being a late first-round selection for the Sixers in 2016, Korkmaz didn't exactly fall in favor with 76ers head coach, Brett Brown.

As an international prospect, Korkmaz started his professional career outside of the NBA. By 2017, however, the Turkish star was gearing up for his NBA debut. Throughout his first season in the U.S., Korkmaz mostly appeared in the G League. 

After appearing in only 14 games one the Sixers' main roster, the young international prospect was looking forward to his Sophomore season so he could prove his worth. Once again, though, Korkmaz wasn't in the team's favor.

Not only did Korkmaz have his next-year option left on the table by Philly in 2017, but his inconsistent production matched with his knee injury made it tough for Korkmaz to win over the Sixers in 48 games last year. By the time the 2018-2019 NBA season wrapped up, Korkmaz assumed he played his final game with Philly.

Therefore, his end of the year press conference last season surely sounded like a forever goodbye as Korkmaz was entering the free agency pool that summer. "I don't know where I'm going to end up," Korkmaz said during the presser. Little did he know, he would end up right back in Philly, playing with the 76ers.

"I was shocked, you know?" Korkmaz revealed in the Sixers' 'Here They Come' series. "When I heard that from my agent, I was like 'really?' I couldn't believe it because in my mind if you asked me what was going to happen during free agency, I was just going to say 'I'm not going to be back in Philly.'"

Sure enough, Korkmaz ended up back in Philly on a two-year deal after a quiet free agency stint. Fortunately, the move worked out this season before the NBA went on a hiatus. This year, Korkmaz appeared in 64 games with the Sixers, notching a career-high of 9.7 points-per-game while shooting 39-percent from deep, becoming one of the Sixers' most reliable shooters throughout the year.

Justin Grasso covers the Philadelphia 76ers for Sports Illustrated. You can follow him on Twitter: @JGrasso_