Besiktas presented David DeJulius as their marquee guard signing on Saturday, framing it as his return to the EuroLeague. Within hours, the unveiling had curdled into a full-blown ownership dispute with the American's previous club, Spain's UCAM Murcia.
Murcia's response was blunt. The club said it had granted no release, or "letter of freedom," to a player it insists remains under contract through the 2027-28 season following an extension signed in March. Departing now, Murcia argued, was not appropriate "without having previously reached a separation agreement."
DeJulius has become one of Liga Endesa's most compelling stories over the past year. In his lone season in Murcia, the 27-year-old American guard averaged around 17.7 points and 4.4 assists a game, finishing second in the Spanish league's scoring charts and earning a place on its all-star five.
His route to Spain ran through Israel. DeJulius spent the 2024-25 season with Maccabi Tel Aviv, a EuroLeague stint that never fully took off, before moving to Murcia last summer and blossoming into a genuine offensive weapon in Liga Endesa.
Murcia's statement did not soften what comes next, saying the club would keep "defending its rights, both at FIBA and through the courts, against anyone acting to its detriment" - language that leaves little room for a quiet resolution.
Sport5 quoted Spanish journalist Gerard Solà describing the standoff in stark terms: "There's a big mess here. Besiktas announced DeJulius's signing, but he's still bound to Murcia. Either they reach an agreement, or he cannot play for his new team. Otherwise this ends in court."
Turkish and Spanish outlets reported that Besiktas moved to complete the signing by triggering a buyout clause in DeJulius's Murcia contract, though no figure has been made public, and it is unclear whether the two clubs have even begun negotiating a fee.
DeJulius, for his part, has already said his goodbyes, posting a farewell message thanking Murcia's fans and staff for the season - a sign he considers his time in Spain over even as the paperwork stays contested.
Until FIBA or a Spanish court settles the release question, DeJulius's immediate future in Istanbul remains clouded. Besiktas have their man on paper, but Murcia has made plain it intends to fight for compensation before he takes the floor in EuroLeague colours again.
