When Omer Yurtseven signed on to play at NC State, it was understood that it would be for only a single season before he pursued his dreams of playing in the NBA.

It made a lot of sense back then. DraftExpress was projecting him as a lottery pick for 2017 and he was all but guaranteed major minutes at NC State. All he would have to do is come in, play well and he’s moving on.

That’s not exactly how it played out. Instead of coming in right away and getting accustomed to life in America and basketball at an ACC school, Yurtseven was forced to sit out the team’s first 9 games for earning a little money playing in Turkey.

At the time, that suspension didn’t seem like much. He would get to rejoin the team and would only have to miss some non-conference games. In hindsight, that suspension cost Yurtseven his freshman season.

By the time he returned, NC State had already assumed their identity. They were going to be ‘The Dennis Smith Jr’ show, for better or for worse. There wasn’t much interest in running any sort of offense through Omer, and when he did get his opportunities, it wasn’t like he was doing all that much with them.

The transition from Turkish ball to college ball was tough for the big man.

“It was rough,” he told Draft Express over this past summer. “The college game is much more packed in then the (Turkish) pro game.”

He was used to facing-up and playing in space, but in the ACC, that’s not an option. Yurt was relegated to becoming a back to the basket big and it wasn’t something he was ready for. The physicality of the ACC bothered him and he allowed defenders to body him on shots, fading away and hoping for foul calls, instead of initiating contact and finishing through it.

At the end of the season, Yurtseven was averaging 6 points 4 rebounds per game. He was shooting 46% from the field and only knocked down one 3 in three attempts. A far cry from what NC State fans and NBA scouts were expecting.

This off-season Yurtseven was torn. Should he just put his name in the NBA draft as planned? Should he return to Europe and regain his confidence? Or should he come back for one more season at NC State?

Making matters more complicated was that Mark Gottfried, the coach who recruited him, had been fired and NC State was bringing in Kevin Keatts form UNCW, known for his up and down, fast-paced play.

Before he made his final decision, Yurtseven decided to put his name in the draft, not hire an agent, and get some feedback.

“The process was fun at first.” he said. “But at the same time, I realized I was not the player that I was last year at NC State. I was better than that. I realized that at the combine and said that I’d give it another chance and try to do my best.”

After the workouts and talking with new head coach Kevin Keatts, he decided to treturn to Raleigh.

“I thought (Omer) would fit in well to this offense. We had a guy (Devontae Cacok) last year at Wilmington who shot 80%. He did it in a different way, but we showed him that.” Keatts recently told the media.

Keatts was right. After a slow start, the big man started to get his confidence back. The more team-oriented, free-flowing offense worked well and spread the floor a little more, giving him room to face up and showcase his true skill set.

Now, a little more than halfway through the season, Omer Yurtseven looks like the guy that was advertised when he came over last year. He has great footowrk, a soft touch around the hoop, the ability to score with their hand, and an elite jumper.

As of today, Yurt is shooting an outstanding 61% from the floor and a mind-blowing 73% from 3pt range (11-15). He’s also improved his toughness, slotting in at 2nd on the team in rebounding at 6.8 per game and leading the team with almost 2 blocks per game. Keatts has also worked feverishly to make him a better, more solid defensive player. It used to be hard to keep him on the floor because of foul trouble, now he leads the team in ‘Defensive box +/- ‘ at +3.3.

On Thursday, Yurtseven’s improvements finally all came together in what was the best performance of his college career. He dropped 29 points in an upset of the #19 Clemson Tigers. He shot 12-18 from the floor and 5-6 from 3pt range. He also added in 4 blocks.

Happy for Omer Yurtseven’s success at NC State. Was labeled a lottery pick before every taking part in a college practice. Just needed one thing — time.

— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein)

Omer Yurtseven has been impressive so far this season after a disappointing freshman campaign. Already hit two three’s tonight and showed nice touch with a lefty hook. Looks much more comfortable on both ends this season.

— NBADraft.net (@nbadraftnet) January 12, 2018

With NC State making some waves in the ACC recently, and Yurtseven being a major reason for that success, he’s finally getting the attention and recognition everyone predicted, they were just one year off.

Yurtseven could have quit. He could have taken the more comfortable route and went home. He could have just put his name in the NBA and tried to work his way through the overseas and G-League circuits.

He didn’t.

He decided to look himself in the mirror and demand more. He improved himself. He worked on his game and he’s now seeing the fruits. Omer Yurtseven will play basketball in the NBA and he’ll be drafted in the first round thanks to his decision.

In a time where taking the easiest road forward seems to be the trend, Omer Yurtseven bet on himself and won. This should serve as exhibit A as to why giving the extra year to college makes the most sense. We’ll call it a ‘lesson in staying.’