Here are Mustafa Özben’s answers before his journey to Rio: 

You are one of the most prominent announcers in Turkey. How did you discover this talent of yours, and how did you get into this field of work?

I have loved three things in my life. Basketball, English language, and theater. So far, the things I did have enabled me to experience all these three. For the English language, I studied at the Translation and Interpreting Department of Boğaziçi University. I was an amateur actor at the theater. From 2002 to 2006 I worked also professionally in the theater business. I was an actor at Gönül Ülkü-Gazanfer Özcan Theater. 

The story of my first step as an announcer is fairly interesting. I wanted to be a part of the basketball community and I was wondering what I could do. At that time, there were no professional announcers in basketball matches in Turkey.  My first step as an announcer was with the Efes World Cup in 2002. And thanks to this tournament, I was noticed by the board of Anadolu Efes. 

How long have you been working with Anadolu Efes Sports Club? How much has Anadolu Efes contributed to you, and the other way around? 

I agreed on a deal with Anadolu Efes Sports Club in 2002 for Euroleague matches.  I carried that on for three seasons. After that, I was separated from Anadolu Efes for 9 years. I was an announcer for the Men’s and Women’s teams of Fenerbahçe Sports Club from 2005 to 2014. In the 2014-2015 season, I was back at my home, Anadolu Efes, where I was born. As part of a two-season deal, I tried to do my best during the 2014-2015 and 2015-2016 seasons as an announcer and host. Besides, I was the “Voice of Anadolu Efes” in our joint projects with our marketing team. Kicking off as a professional announcer in 2002 at the pioneering Turkish basketball club allowed me to step into this line of work at the top. Anadolu Efes Sports Club was also the first club in Turkey to work with a professional announcer. During this time, I always tried to give all my talents and effort to Anadolu Efes, and to elevate my level. I also have an important surprise for all basketball enthusiasts who will take the time to fully read this interview. 

What would be your recommendations to people that strive to become an announcer?

First of all, you have to know basketball well, and feel the game. Eventually, you need to inform the fans. Also, you need to utilize your voice extremely well. Besides, I believe that the English language and theater have been very useful for me while I was stepping into this field of work. These two had tremendous impact for me to create my own style.  

Apart from being an announcer, what fields are you working in?

I was in the publishing business starting from my years at university. After a short time, I got into the public relations sector and managed media relations for IT brands. That was followed by my efforts at the quality department within a company’s call center. For the last 10 years, apart from being a basketball announcer, I have worked as a ring announcer, conference interpreter, voice actor and host, among other things. I was a host for numerous events in my career.  I was also an announcer at 2010 Basketball World Cup, 2012 World Indoor Championship and 2012 World Short-Course Swimming Championship hosted in Turkey, along with several matches of the Turkish National Football Team. I can confidently say that I position myself as a sports announcer. 

What was your first match as an announcer? How many matches have you announced for so far?

I had applied to Turkish Basketball Federation as an announcer before Efes World Cup in 2002. The federation asked me to announce for the friendly match between the Turkish Second National Team and Bulgarian Second National Team. With my performance in that match, I guaranteed my place at Efes World Cup.  My first match at Anadolu Efes Sports Club was the match against Benetton Treviso in Turkish Airlines Euroleague. From 2002, I have offered my services at more that 1500 matches in my career. 

You represented Turkey in 2012 London Olympics. Could you talk about that? What were your feelings when you were on the pitch?

In this field of work, your vision improves in each step that you move forward. After 2010 Basketball World Cup, I started dreaming about working at 2012 London. I had received very positive feedback from the senior executives at FIBA. I made my application to the Local Organization Committee. Working at the Olympics was probably the apex of my career. Being an announcer for the 4 of 5 matches of our Women’s National Team along with the final match between the USA and Spain Men’s National Teams was certainly a source of pride. 

After 4 years, you will work again at the 2016 Rio Olympics. What are your feelings?

The process was a little bit different compared to London. During the application period, there were days that I lost hope. My application in March 2015 only resulted last June. I would like to thank my beloved wife Özlem Özben and my family, who supported me and gave me strength during this period. It was also very important that I received support from the staff at Anadolu Efes Sports Club, the executives at Turkish Basketball Federation, FIBA Europe President Turgay Demirel, and my colleague Eddy Vidal, with whom I worked in London. 

Which matches will you be working at in the Olympics?

Based on the available schedule, my first match will be between the USA and China. I will also announce for all group matches for the hosting country Brazil, and 4 of 5 group matches for the USA. If our Women’s National Team makes it to the quarter finals, I may have the chance to announce for Turkey’s matches as well.  Here is some opportunity that might be possible for me. If I can host the medal presentation at men’s or women’s competitions, the apex of my career will move one step ahead. I also wasn’t able to offer my services at London 2012 Paralympics. At Rio this year, I will be at this event, too. This will be another pioneering moment for my career. 

Before the event, what will be your efforts to study the matches and the teams?

Approaching Rio 2016, I have been doing what I did before any other large-scale tournament. In events like this, I meet with someone from the team staff to learn pronunciations of player names. In some cases, I manage to catch the players face-to-face and learn directly from themselves. There are also cases in which I meet with press members who are there to follow their countries. I do my research on the Internet from time to time, as well. 

Let’s get back to Anadolu Efes’s matches. What was your most unforgettable match and how many matches of Anadolu Efes have you been an announcer for?

In my career, there were numerous unforgettable matches that give me the utmost pride to have been an announcer for. However, the matches against Real Madrid in 2014-2015 season during Turkish Airlines Euroleague Playoffs have been extremely special. Especially the buzzer-beating three pointer from Matt Janning was one of the most memorable moments of my career.   If we were able to steal a match on the road in that series, we may have been able to defeat Real Madrid in two matches at our home court, and make it to Final Four. In total, I have been an announcer for more than 100 of Anadolu Efes’s matches.

How do you create your specific intonations?

I love my job, and I do it with passion. I just come up with some intonations sometimes during a match, sometimes when I’m sitting somewhere, and sometimes right before I fall asleep. I always think about the different ways that I can do my job. This is how those intonations come about. 

Do you keep an eye on how tense and passionate the fans are during a match? Do you have special tactics to fire them up?

This job means much more than announcing the name of a player who scores. You need to know a bit about sociology and psychology. It’s a profession that requires you to know about basketball and all its rules. You need to have the command to feel the breaking points of the match as they happen… Knowing how, when, and what to say in order to engage the fans’ energy is another requirement for this job. In some matches, the fans’ passion and contribution that reaches all the way to the court for three seconds can determine the winning team. Therefore, I’m always trying to measure the fans’ reactions during the match. When required, I make more passionate announcements to engage the fans better into the match.  

You also narrate to the fans the entertaining part of basketball during timeouts and halftime. Do you have special methods for that?

Basketball is already full of entertainment by itself. During timeouts and halftime, I transition from being an announcer to becoming a host to try to narrate the feeling of entertainment to the fans. Just like winning, losing is also part of basketball. Therefore, you have to entertain those people. Our club also values the fact that our fans can get back home after an entertaining experience at the match. 

As required by your duty, you have to stay in the match the whole time. How do you stay that concentrated, and do you have a routine for matchdays? 

As a principle, as long as I can, I will be at Abdi İpekçi Arena three hours before the game, and start feeling the match. Being in the arena gives me peace. After getting into the arena, I start concentrating and preparing my notes after quickly accessing the rosters. Not breaking concentration during the match is a requirement for my job. When I get home after the match, I always watch the whole replay to evaluate my performance, and take notes for my future matches. 

Finally, would you like to say something for the fans of Anadolu Efes? 

In the beginning of the interview, I mentioned a surprise for the Anadolu Efes fans. Recently, the club and I have extended our deal for three more seasons. Basketball enthusiasts will keep hearing my voice for three more years in Anadolu Efes’s home matches. I would like to thank our President Tuncay Özilhan, Vice President Ahmet Boyacıoğlu, General Director Alper Yılmaz, Marketing & Corporate Relations Manager Gökçe Dayı and Sports Operations & Corporate Relations Manager Göktan Taşdıvar for this deal.

As the Voice of Anadolu Efes, I invite all basketball enthusiasts to get season tickets to support our team at Abdi İpekçi Arena. Watching the match in the arena provides a much richer experience than following it on TV. Especially with the new format of Turkish Airlines Euroleague, a new season full of excitement and passion awaits us. With our reorganization, we can together achieve great things in the 41st anniversary of our club.