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TURKISH BASKETBALL PLAYER IN CANADA TO JOIN RAPTORS
TORONTO - Turkish basketball player Hidayet Turkoglu arrived in Canada on Thursday to join Toronto Raptors.
10.07.2009 - Update : 10.07.2009
Free agent Turkoglu, also known as Hedo in the States, will join Raptors on a five-year contract. He will get 53 million USD.
"I am glad to be in Toronto, and I thank everybody who has given me this opportunity," Turkoglu told a press conference at the Rogers Conference Hall in Toronto together with Raptors managers.
Turkoglu said he was glad to be a Raptor, and it was really easy for him to choose that team.
"I will make best use of this opportunity, and I am looking forward to have a good year," he also said.
There were earlier reports that Hedo would cut a deal with Portland Trail Blazers. Hedo earlier flied to Oregon to meet executives of Blazers but later he headed to Canada-based Raptors for negotiations.
Hedo has become the most expensive Turkish athlete after accepting the 53-million USD contract.
Hedo started his NBA carrier with Sacramento Kings in 2000 and moved to San Antonio Spurs and then to Orlando Magic in 2004 as a free agent. He is one of the first two Turkish basketball players playing in NBA with Mehmet Okur, or Memo, of Utah Jazz.
Turkoglu opted out of his Orlando contract when the team acquired Vince Carter from New Jersey. Analysts say he is on the top of his carrier with an average 16.8 points and 5.3 rebounds last season. Anadolu Agency website contains only a portion of the news stories offered to subscribers in the AA News Broadcasting System (HAS), and in summarized form. Please contact us for subscription options.
"I am glad to be in Toronto, and I thank everybody who has given me this opportunity," Turkoglu told a press conference at the Rogers Conference Hall in Toronto together with Raptors managers.
Turkoglu said he was glad to be a Raptor, and it was really easy for him to choose that team.
"I will make best use of this opportunity, and I am looking forward to have a good year," he also said.
There were earlier reports that Hedo would cut a deal with Portland Trail Blazers. Hedo earlier flied to Oregon to meet executives of Blazers but later he headed to Canada-based Raptors for negotiations.
Hedo has become the most expensive Turkish athlete after accepting the 53-million USD contract.
Hedo started his NBA carrier with Sacramento Kings in 2000 and moved to San Antonio Spurs and then to Orlando Magic in 2004 as a free agent. He is one of the first two Turkish basketball players playing in NBA with Mehmet Okur, or Memo, of Utah Jazz.
Turkoglu opted out of his Orlando contract when the team acquired Vince Carter from New Jersey. Analysts say he is on the top of his carrier with an average 16.8 points and 5.3 rebounds last season. Anadolu Agency website contains only a portion of the news stories offered to subscribers in the AA News Broadcasting System (HAS), and in summarized form. Please contact us for subscription options.
