TUR – Okur wants medal for Tanjevic

ISTANBUL (2010 FIBA World Championship) – Turkey’s Mehmet Okur will miss the 2010 FIBA World Championship through injury but hopes that his team-mates can win a medal, not just for themselves and the fans, but for head coach Bogdan Tanjevic.

Okur is frustrated at having to sit out the tournament after he tore his Achilles tendon during the first round of the NBA playoffs. But however distressed he is about his own misfortunes, the Utah Jazz centre was even more devastated when he found out that Tanjevic was battling colon cancer.

“I was very sad for coach Tanjevic. When I heard he had cancer, I thought that a medal would be like medicine for him,” he told Turkish website www.baskent34.com.

“I have a good relationship with coach. We have spoken on the phone during the year and I hope he will get cured as soon as possible. He is a stubborn and ambitious person who hates to lose.”

No doubt Okur was relieved to hear Tanjevic’s recovery is going well and that the 63-year-old plans on returning to lead the host nation at the World Championship.

The Fenerbahce Ulker boss took a leave of absence back in late March to receive treatment and was on hand last week as the Turkish Basketball Federation (TBF) held a press conference to announce its squad as well as provide details regarding the team’s preparations leading up to the tournament.

Tanjevic said: “My colleagues Nihat Iziç, Orhun Ene, Aziz Bekir, and Ertugrul Erdogan will run the first 15 days (of the preparations) to allow me to get better. Afterwards you will see me as good as before.”

“I’m fully motivated and I see that everyone is. As our president said our goal is to reach to final four. We have to hustle and sweat. With the support from our fans I think that we will get there.”

As for Okur, he feels the blow he was dealt could not have come at a worse time.

“I had not begun the season too well because of an injury that affected me all last summer. But I was playing well in the last two or three months. I was fit and feeling good,” said the first-ever Turkish player to win an NBA title (with the Detroit Pistons in 2004) and to be named an All-Star (2007).

He tore his Achilles tendon in Utah’s first playoff game, against the Denver Nuggets. His involvement in the post-season lasted all of 11 minutes.

“I knew when it happened it was something serious because of the sound it made,” he recalled.

“I thought we (Utah) could make it at least to the Western Conference finals and I wanted to be a part of it. What can I say? It’s unfortunate.”

The 31-year-old knows he will miss out on something huge this summer.

“The 2010 FIBA World Championship is a very important event in Turkish sports history,” Okur stated. “It’s the biggest sports event organized in the country so far and I wanted to be a part of it after not wearing the national team jersey in more than two years.”

Despite his absence, he still believes Turkey can be successful but that the USA have to be considered the overall favourites.

“I believe our national team will do great this summer. The USA are certainly the favourites even though some of the superstars are not sure at this stage if they will play because of their contract situation,” Okur offered.

“I think some of the superstars will come. And also there are many young and talented players who are ready. If young players like Kevin Durant, Danny Granger, Russell Westbrook, O.J. Mayo, Derrick Rose, and Brook Lopez gather with experienced stars, the USA will be the top contender.

“Of course teams like Spain, Argentina, Serbia, Brazil, France, Greece, Russia, and Germany are pretenders too. I always dream of a USA -Turkey final, but the South Americans, Argentina and Brazil, should not be underestimated,” he cautioned.

“I invite our nation to support our team until the end in the most important sports event in our history. I’m sure our team will be successful and also that Turkey will be a great host.”

FIBA