Utah Jazz centre Mehmet Okur to play in Turkey during the Lockout – NBA Update
Utah Jazz star Mehmet Okur has signed a contract with Turkish side Turk Telekom Ankara for next season and will be joining the squad immediately. His agent confirmed the deal and said Mehmet looked forward to playing in his home
country as soon as possible.
The centre is under contract with the Utah Jazz until the end of the 2011-2012 season. Therefore according to FIBA rules, he has a release clause inserted into his contract that will allow him to leave Turk Telekom Ankara and return
to the Jazz if the NBA lockout ends and the season is salvaged.
Mehmet had a torrid time last season with injuries that have also kept him out of the EuroBasket tournament going on in Lithuania at present. Mehmet suffered a number of setbacks that limited him to just thirteen appearances for
the Jazz.
Following an Achilles tendon injury in the 2010 playoffs, Mehmet was required to have surgery that delayed his participation in the 2010-2011 NBA season. When Okur did get back from rehabilitation he was forced out again through
recurring back issues and other niggles.
His agent Marc Fleisher though has revealed that the centre is now over his troubles and wants to get back to match sharpness as soon as possible. Marc said Okur will return to Utah as soon as possible and was looking to get some
match practice in Turkey until the lockout ends.
"He's healthy enough to play now," Fleisher said.
"The driving force behind this is him not having played for a while and wanting to get back on court and finding a rhythm," Fleisher said. "He wants to get ready sooner than later so he'll be in a better position to contribute
immediately (in the NBA)."
While he is in Turkey, Mehmet can look forward to the prospect of coming up against a former NBA teammate, Deron Williams. Williams, who made the switch to the New Jersey Nets from the Jazz just last season, has also signed for
a Turkish side, Besiktas, and will be playing in the Turkey Basketball League as well.
In fact, when Williams signed his estimated $5 million deal with Besiktas, he was one of the first names from the NBA to sign with a foreign team in the summer. Many more NBA players have followed in Deron’s footsteps, such as
Okur himself, and the Jersey star still remains the most high profile player to have committed to a foreign team.
Deron faced some injury issues as well towards the end of last season, but is confident he will be able to play at his best in the Turkish league.
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