Jimcs50
12-22-2004, 10:47 AM
Turkoglu plays important role
The versatile forward provides an offensive punch off the bench as the Magic's sixth man.
By Brian Schmitz | Sentinel Staff Writer
Posted December 22, 2004
Many arenas around the NBA make Orlando Magic forward Hedo Turkoglu feel like he's back home. Back home in Turkey.
He'll look up into the crowd to see some fans from his homeland dressed in colors of his country, waving their red Turkish flags and cheering, "Hedo! Hedo!"
Turkoglu, the first Turkish-born player in the NBA, recalled seeing about 3,000 of his countrymen at Continental Airlines Arena, home of the New Jersey Nets, when he was playing with the Sacramento Kings.
"J-Kidd [Jason Kidd] and Richard Jefferson tell me, 'You should come play for us so we can get some fans over here,' " Turkoglu said, laughing.
"It was huge. I was nervous. I dribble the ball off my knee."
The affable Turkoglu will see more friends tonight at TD Waterhouse Centre -- on the side opposite of the Magic's bench.
The San Antonio Spurs (20-5) are in town. And like a week ago in San Antonio, Turkoglu will enjoy the reunion with teammates he played with last season.
The Spurs decided not to re-sign Turkoglu, electing to seal a six-year $52 million deal with Manu Ginobili.
Turkoglu did all right for himself on the open market. The Phoenix Suns and the Atlanta Hawks were interested, but he signed a six-year $39 million contract with the Magic this summer.
"I guess the Spurs didn't have enough money for them both [Ginobili and Turkoglu]," Magic Coach Johnny Davis said. "That left the door open for us. We're happy to have him."
Looking to fill Turkoglu's role, San Antonio signed veteran Brent Barry to a four-year $21 million contract, but Barry has been a disappointment.
Turkoglu, 25, says he carries no grudges against the Spurs.
"This is a business, and you always understand the situation. You really don't get upset or get down," he said in his broken English. "This is all new change with the Magic. I thought it was good change to be here and start a new life."
Turkoglu finally feels like he has found an NBA home in Orlando.
He has averaged 13.1 points and 2.3 assists per game -- career highs if they hold up the rest of the season. He's led the team in scoring four times, all coming off the bench.
Davis could have inserted him into the starting lineup after various injuries to Cuttino Mobley and Grant Hill. But Davis has refrained, preferring the jolt that the versatile 6-foot-10, 220-pound forward can deliver in relief.
Backing up Hill at small forward, Turkoglu doesn't mind the role as long as he is receiving playing time. He has averaged 25.9 minutes, tying a career high he maintained last season in San Antonio.
"I love Turk. It's like he plays plays second fiddle here, but he's good playing off of other guys," Magic assistant coach Morlon Wiley said. "He's been big for us."
Turkoglu is adept at playing the part of the sixth man, previously holding the job with the Sacramento Kings and the Spurs.
"I get good minutes here," Turkoglu said. "We're a running team. You get a lot of opportunities for open shots. I don't care if I'm the fourth man or the fifth man."
He was drafted out of the Turkish Professional League by the Sacramento Kings in 2000 and showed promise. But in the summer of 2003, the Kings traded him to the Spurs in a three-team deal that also allowed Sacramento to acquire center Brad Miller from the Indiana Pacers.
Turkoglu started in 44 of the Spurs' last 46 games in the 2003-04 season, but he struggled with his 3-point shooting in the playoff series against the Los Angeles Lakers. After finishing eighth in the league in 3-point shooting percentage (41.9 percent) during the regular season, he made just 14 of 42 3s against the Lakers.
He doesn't know if his postseason slump prompted the Spurs to let him go.
"Maybe I should have done better for myself in playoffs," he said. "It can happen to anybody.
"I might have ups and downs. I don't want it to happen. It was bad timing. I was trying to do my best even when I was missing."
He also has struggled from long range with the Magic, making 29 of 93 shots for a chilly 31 percent. He is shooting 42 percent from the field overall.
Turkoglu was a soccer player in his native Turkey until a growth spurt in his pre-teen years turned him toward basketball. He and his brother, Neyzat, practiced hour after hour at a little court near their home in Istanbul.
He's still a gym rat. Turkoglu said he's never swung a baseball bat or a golf club.
"I'm not into those sports," he said. "They're not big where I come from."
Brian Schmitz can be reached at [email protected].
The versatile forward provides an offensive punch off the bench as the Magic's sixth man.
By Brian Schmitz | Sentinel Staff Writer
Posted December 22, 2004
Many arenas around the NBA make Orlando Magic forward Hedo Turkoglu feel like he's back home. Back home in Turkey.
He'll look up into the crowd to see some fans from his homeland dressed in colors of his country, waving their red Turkish flags and cheering, "Hedo! Hedo!"
Turkoglu, the first Turkish-born player in the NBA, recalled seeing about 3,000 of his countrymen at Continental Airlines Arena, home of the New Jersey Nets, when he was playing with the Sacramento Kings.
"J-Kidd [Jason Kidd] and Richard Jefferson tell me, 'You should come play for us so we can get some fans over here,' " Turkoglu said, laughing.
"It was huge. I was nervous. I dribble the ball off my knee."
The affable Turkoglu will see more friends tonight at TD Waterhouse Centre -- on the side opposite of the Magic's bench.
The San Antonio Spurs (20-5) are in town. And like a week ago in San Antonio, Turkoglu will enjoy the reunion with teammates he played with last season.
The Spurs decided not to re-sign Turkoglu, electing to seal a six-year $52 million deal with Manu Ginobili.
Turkoglu did all right for himself on the open market. The Phoenix Suns and the Atlanta Hawks were interested, but he signed a six-year $39 million contract with the Magic this summer.
"I guess the Spurs didn't have enough money for them both [Ginobili and Turkoglu]," Magic Coach Johnny Davis said. "That left the door open for us. We're happy to have him."
Looking to fill Turkoglu's role, San Antonio signed veteran Brent Barry to a four-year $21 million contract, but Barry has been a disappointment.
Turkoglu, 25, says he carries no grudges against the Spurs.
"This is a business, and you always understand the situation. You really don't get upset or get down," he said in his broken English. "This is all new change with the Magic. I thought it was good change to be here and start a new life."
Turkoglu finally feels like he has found an NBA home in Orlando.
He has averaged 13.1 points and 2.3 assists per game -- career highs if they hold up the rest of the season. He's led the team in scoring four times, all coming off the bench.
Davis could have inserted him into the starting lineup after various injuries to Cuttino Mobley and Grant Hill. But Davis has refrained, preferring the jolt that the versatile 6-foot-10, 220-pound forward can deliver in relief.
Backing up Hill at small forward, Turkoglu doesn't mind the role as long as he is receiving playing time. He has averaged 25.9 minutes, tying a career high he maintained last season in San Antonio.
"I love Turk. It's like he plays plays second fiddle here, but he's good playing off of other guys," Magic assistant coach Morlon Wiley said. "He's been big for us."
Turkoglu is adept at playing the part of the sixth man, previously holding the job with the Sacramento Kings and the Spurs.
"I get good minutes here," Turkoglu said. "We're a running team. You get a lot of opportunities for open shots. I don't care if I'm the fourth man or the fifth man."
He was drafted out of the Turkish Professional League by the Sacramento Kings in 2000 and showed promise. But in the summer of 2003, the Kings traded him to the Spurs in a three-team deal that also allowed Sacramento to acquire center Brad Miller from the Indiana Pacers.
Turkoglu started in 44 of the Spurs' last 46 games in the 2003-04 season, but he struggled with his 3-point shooting in the playoff series against the Los Angeles Lakers. After finishing eighth in the league in 3-point shooting percentage (41.9 percent) during the regular season, he made just 14 of 42 3s against the Lakers.
He doesn't know if his postseason slump prompted the Spurs to let him go.
"Maybe I should have done better for myself in playoffs," he said. "It can happen to anybody.
"I might have ups and downs. I don't want it to happen. It was bad timing. I was trying to do my best even when I was missing."
He also has struggled from long range with the Magic, making 29 of 93 shots for a chilly 31 percent. He is shooting 42 percent from the field overall.
Turkoglu was a soccer player in his native Turkey until a growth spurt in his pre-teen years turned him toward basketball. He and his brother, Neyzat, practiced hour after hour at a little court near their home in Istanbul.
He's still a gym rat. Turkoglu said he's never swung a baseball bat or a golf club.
"I'm not into those sports," he said. "They're not big where I come from."
Brian Schmitz can be reached at [email protected].