RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) The NCAA has ruled that North Carolina State freshman center Omer Yurtseven must sit the first nine games after examining his amateur status following Yurtseven’s overseas career.
The school on Monday announced the ruling, which requires the Istanbul, Turkey native to sit the first 30 percent of the regular season and pay $1,000 to a charity of his choice before becoming eligible to play.
The five-star, 18-year-old prospect will play his first regular-season game against Appalachian State on Dec. 15. He will be eligible to practice and play in the team’s exhibition games. He won’t miss any of the team’s 18 games in Atlantic Coast Conference play.
N.C. State athletic director Debbie Yow said in a statement that the NCAA ”conducted a thoughtful analysis of Omer’s situation,” while coach Mark Gottfried said he was disappointed for Yurtseven.
”He has been patient and 100 percent forthright,” Gottfried said in his statement. ”We will adapt and integrate him in as soon as possible.”
Athletic spokesman Fred Demarest said Monday afternoon the school has no plans to appeal the ruling.
The 7-footer had a professional contract offer with a European club team but opted to play college basketball and committed to the Wolfpack in May. He also has international experience and even had a 91-point game in a Turkish Under-18 game this spring.
Speaking at the team’s preseason media day in late September, Yurtseven said he was trying to be patient while waiting for the NCAA ruling.
”You’ve just got to hope for the best,” he said then. ”I think that they should let me get cleared because I don’t think I have done something wrong. But you know, they’re trying to do their part, so I can’t do nothing but respect them. So that’s what I’m trying to do.”
Yurtseven’s commitment, along with the debut of touted freshman point guard Dennis Smith Jr., is a key reason why the Wolfpack ranked No. 6 nationally in Scout.com’s recruiting rankings.
N.C. State, picked to finish sixth in the ACC, opens the regular season Nov. 11 against Georgia Southern.
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More AP college basketball: http://collegebasketball.ap.org
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