Julie Vanloo.
The life of a top athlete can be lonely. Basketball player Julie Vanloo (32) shows this in her latest vlog. “To be honest, I’ve already had a really hard time mentally here in Turkey,” says the Belgian Cat, who currently plays for Mersin (sixth in the Turkish first division).

Vanloo is in Belgium this week to play with the Belgian Cats and she also attended the preview of their new documentary. But the basketball player was in Turkey for the weeks before, where she plays after her season (and adventure) with the WNBA team LA Sparks ended. In her latest vlog on YouTube, the West Flemish woman says she hasn’t had the easiest time in Turkey.

“I had my doubts about sharing this with you, but since I’ve been here, I’ve been struggling to find the best version of myself,” says Vanloo. “I’ve really struggled. Mentally, it hasn’t been an easy summer for me (after Vanloo was waived by the WNBA team Golden State Valkyries, ed.), and I still carry that with me. I’m battling myself and my thoughts, overthinking everything I do, and trying to play basketball as freely as possible.”

For that last part, Vanloo regularly takes walks along the sea in the seaside resort of Mersin.

“It gives me mental peace, helps me recharge, and reminds me that I had to work very hard to get where I am today. I have to try to enjoy this whole process, because I’m mainly doing it to myself. I’m an emotional person, and I’d love to have my friends and family around me. But here I have to do it alone, and I’m used to that by now. It’ll be fine…”

Vanloo plays an international match against Finland with the Belgian Cats tonight. The Cats also play Lithuania in Vilnius on Sunday, but Vanloo will be rested for that match and won’t be playing the away match. The same applies to Julie Allemand, Antonia Delaere, Kyara Linskens, and Emma Meesseman.

National coach Mike Thibault wants to use the matches against the other host countries for Euro 2027 to experiment extensively.