Having your time come to an end in the NBA does not mean the basketball journey is completely over. Former Cleveland Cavaliers forward Cedi Osman serves as a great example of that.
Osman spent six seasons playing with the Cavaliers from 2017 through the end of 2023. The former Cavaliers sharpshooter averaged 9.7 points, 3.0 rebounds, 2.0 assists, and 0.7 steals in 23.6 minutes per game, connecting on 42.7 percent of his shots from the field and 35.3 percent from beyond the arc.
Osman got one more season in the NBA after his time with the Cavaliers was over. The Turkish hooper spent 2023-24 with the San Antonio Spurs as the final spot of his time in basketball's top league (as of now).
Osman went back to the EuroLeague after the 2023-24 NBA season, joining Panathinaikos in Greece. After a modest first season with his new team, the former Cav has emerged as one of the top scoring options on his squad in 2025-26. The 30-year-old should still have considerable time left as a professional hooper with his current level of play.
Cedi Osman is shooting the lights out with Panathinaikos
In his first season back overseas, Osman averaged a modest 9.6 points, 2.7 rebounds, and 0.7 assists in 19.5 minutes per game with Panathinaikos. The former NBA sniper proved he still had it from downtown, shooting 37.7 percent on his 3-point attempts.
2025-26 has come with more minutes and an expanded role for the former Cavalier. That has been matched with a solid uptick in production.
Osman is one of the three leading scorers on his team, averaging 13.4 points per game for Panathinaikos in 2025-26 thus far. That is being delivered with the expected marksmanship that he has been known for. Osman is scoring 44.2 percent of his shot attempts from deep.
To go with that, the Panathinaikos star has averaged 4.0 rebounds, 1.1 assists, and 0.5 blocks per game. The scoring impact still shines the brightest, but Osman is not a complete non-factor elsewhere.
Cavaliers fans were last reintroduced to Osman at EuroBasket 2025. Seeing the Turkish forward perform well for his national team at the esteemed competition would have sparked plenty of fond memories about his days in Cleveland.
Whether Osman's rise in the EuroLeague sparks any interest from NBA teams in need of shooting is unclear. However, irrespective of that, it is still satisfying to watch a former member of the franchise continuing to find success with basketball.