TUR - Erden hopes to be back for Turkey

ISTANBUL (EuroBasket) - Semih Erden wants to play for Turkey at the EuroBasket this summer but must wait to see if his shoulder can recover from surgery after a tough NBA season.

Erden battled a labrum problem before and after his mid-season trade from Boston to Cleveland, and managed only four appearances for the Cavaliers after arriving in February.

Surgery was required on the problem, but Erden is hopeful he can heal in time to be in consideration for the EuroBasket in Lithuania in September.

“If someone has had shoulder surgery, they need to recover,” he said.

“I hope I can play, I always want to be involved with the national team. But already last year I played with this problem.”

Erden was part of the team that won silver at the FIBA World Championship on home soil last summer, and he believes that performance shows they are genuine contenders in Lithuania.

“The performance from last year shows we can win now,” he said. “It is early and there is a lot of work to do, but last year’s experience gave us an advantage.”

FIBA