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Young, by Michael Roizen MD and Mehmet Oz MD... lef.org | Young, by Michael Roizen MD and Mehmet Oz MD... lefcms.lef.org | CEM People: Mehmet Toner sbi.org | Dr. Mehmet Oz Should Leave Exercise Prescription to the Experts |... healthandfitnessadvice.co... |
Mehmet Okur (born May 26, 1979 in Yalova, Turkey) is a Turkish professional basketball player who currently plays for the Utah Jazz of the NBA. He is a 211 cm (6' 11")[1] power forward/center.
[edit] Early careerOkur notes Toni Kukoč was his favorite player while he was growing up.[2] He helped the Turkish 22-and-under national team to 6th place at the 1997 world championship.[3] Mehmet was transferred to Efes Pilsen in 2000 and won a championship in the 2001–2002 Turkish Basketball League season.[4] He averaged 13.5 points per game during his last season in Turkey.[5] [edit] NBA career[edit] Detroit PistonsOkur was selected 38th overall in the second round of the 2001 NBA Draft by the Detroit Pistons.[6] He played two seasons for the Pistons from 2002/03 to 2003/04, helping Detroit win the NBA championship in June 2004. He became the first Turkish player to win an NBA championship. Due to salary cap limitations, the Pistons were unable to pay a top-level salary for Okur, but he was able to parlay his success into a six-year, US$50 million contract with the Utah Jazz. [edit] Utah JazzAt 2.11 m (6'11") and 119.3 kg (263 lb),[1] Okur plays the center and power forward positions for the Utah Jazz. He has inside presence, but also has a reliable jump shot extending to the three-point range and is a solid free throw shooter with an 80.7 career percentage. On his first season (2004-2005) with Utah, he played in all 82 games, starting in 25 of them. Nicknamed "Memo", Okur had made his presence felt on his second (2005-2006) season with Utah from 12.9 points per game the previous season to 18.0 points per game, leading his team in scoring and rebounding, making him one of the league's most improved players. He started in all 82 games for the second straight season, as the only Utah Jazz player doing so. This season, he continued being a key player for Utah. He has also improved his 3 point shot,[7] and is known as a strong clutch player for the Jazz.[8] On March 13, Okur became the franchise leader for making the most three-pointers in one month with 21 out of 31.[9] He has missed two games this season snapping his streak (233 consecutive games). On Monday, January 12, 2009, Okur established a new career high in points scored when he scored 43 points against the Indiana Pacers. On July 10, 2009 Okur signed a two-year contract extension reportedly worth approximately $21 million.[10] [edit] All-StarHe was named to the Western Conference All-Star team for 2007 NBA All-Star Game. He and Ray Allen were selected as replacements for injured original members Allen Iverson and Steve Nash.[11] He is the first Turkish player to participate in this event. [edit] Personal lifeHe is married to model and former Miss Turkey Yeliz Çalışkan, and they have a daughter, Melisa, born on March 21, 2007. [edit] Awards and honors
[edit] NBA career statistics
Last updated: May 19, 2009.[7] [edit] Regular season
[edit] Playoffs
[edit] References
[edit] External links
Categories: 1979 births | Living people | Tofaş S.K. basketballers | Efes Pilsen basketballers | People from Yalova | Power forwards (basketball) | Turkish basketball players | Turkish expatriate basketballers | Turkish expatriate basketball people in the United States | Detroit Pistons draft picks | Detroit Pistons players | Utah Jazz players | Turkish people of Circassian descent | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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