Kenan Sipahi

Kenan Sipahi was born in 1995 in Pristina, FR Yugoslavia to Xhelal Spahiu or Celal Sipahi, and Bisera Spahiu or Bisera Sipahi. He has been described as having Albanian^[1] or Turkish^[2] background. Sipahi started playing basketball in Pristina at the age of nine and became a top-level prospect in Turkey at age 15.

He made his professional debut in the Turkish League with Tofaş Bursa during the 2010–11 season. He was already playing regularly at the age of 16.

Sipahi made his breakthrough in a 2012–13 season. He played plenty of minutes in the league and EuroChallenge. On January 15, 2013, he scored a game winning three-pointer against Khimik. He averaged 7 points and 2.7 assists in 32 league games.

On September 2, 2013, he signed a three-year contract with option to extend for one season with Fenerbahçe.^[3][4] At the age of 19, he made the roster of Fenerbahçe in the Euroleague. In February 2014, he had season-ending injury, after breaking his arm in Turkish Cup game against Trabzonspor.^[5] In his first Euroleague season with the team, he averaged 2.7 points, 1.1 assists and 1 rebound over 15 games.

On September 30, 2015, he was loaned to Karşıyaka for one season.^[6] Over the season, he averaged 7.6 points, 4.2 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game in the Turkish League, while also having career-high averages of 5.3 points and 3.7 assists in the Euroleague. On July 1, 2016, he was released from Fenerbahçe.^[7]

On July 13, 2016, Sipahi signed a one-year contract with Beşiktaş.^[8] On July 18, 2017, he re-signed with Beşiktaş for two more seasons.^[9] On August 6, 2019, Sipahi signed a two-year deal with Spanish club Coosur Real Betis.^[10]

On July 16, 2020, he signed with Fenerbahçe of the Turkish Basketball Super League.^[11] On June 17, 2021, Sipahi parted ways with the Turkish club once more.

On September 15, 2021, he signed with Casademont Zaragoza of the Liga ACB.^[12] Sipahi parted ways with the team on December 10.^[13]

On December 16, 2021, he signed with Beşiktaş Icrypex of the Basketbol Süper Ligi (BSL).^[14]

On June 21, 2022, he signed with Pınar Karşıyaka of the Basketbol Süper Ligi (BSL) for as second stint after six years.^[15]

On January 7, 2025, he signed with Bahçeşehir Koleji of the Turkish Basketbol Süper Ligi (BSL).^[16]

Sipahi is a regular Turkish youth national team player. He helped Turkey's U-18 national team win the gold medal at the 2013 FIBA Europe Under-18 Championship, where he was named to the MVP and All-Tournament Team, averaging 10.9 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 5.0 assists. Also he played at the EuroBasket 2017 with Turkey's men's basketball national team

Sipahi is fluent in Turkish, Albanian, Bosnian language and English.^[17] He married Albanian model Ilda Abazi in July 2021 in a lavish ceremony at the Ciragan Kempinski palace in Istanbul.^[18]