Mehmet Okur ends his professional career

falcon107 · Post #1 » by **falcon107** » Thu Nov 8, 2012 11:51 am

eurosport.com.tr has just tweeted that Mehmet Okur decided to end his professional career. No detail from Okur or any other source yet.

I think he didn't have enough offer to force his back again.

I wish best for him.

falcon107 · Post #2 » by **falcon107** » Thu Nov 8, 2012 12:01 pm

More details in Turkish and then a short translation of mine from http://www.ntvspor.net/haber/basketbol/ ... lu-birakti

National basketball player Mehmet Okur announced that he ends his active sports life.

He explained that he gave this decision as after his latest injuries, he understood that could never get back to his old days.

He also commented that he got several offers both from NBA and Euroleague teams but after the injuries he faced last three years, if it is not possible to be back at the same level, it is better to say farewell to professional basketball.

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Milli basketbolcu Mehmet Okur, aktif sporculuk hayatını noktaladığını açıkladı.

Son olarak Amerikan Ulusal Basketbol Ligi (NBA) takımlarından New Jersey Nets'te forma giyen 33 yaşındaki Mehmet Okur, son dönemdeki sakatlıkların ardından eski günlerine dönemeyeceğini anladığı için bu kararı aldığını bildirdi.

Mehmet Okur, "1993 yılında, 14 yaşında başladığım aktif profesyonel basketbol kariyerime 33 yaşında veda ediyorum. Geç başladığım, ancak aradaki farkı kapatmak istercesine büyük bir azim, kararlılık ve aşk ile dolu dolu yaşadığım basketbol kariyerime, bireysel ve takım olarak sayısız başarılar sığdırma gururunu yaşadım. Takım sporlarında Türkiye'ye kazandırdığımız ilk madalya olan 2001 Avrupa Şampiyonası ikinciliği ile başlayan ilk milli takım başarıma, NBA'de şampiyonluk kazanan ilk Türk ve NBA'de All-Star seçilen yine ilk Türk olma unvanlarını ekledim" diye konuştu.

Okur, "En üst seviyelerde yıllarca Türkiye'mi en iyi şekilde temsil etmiş bir sporcu olarak, özellikle son üç yıldır ardı ardına yaşadığım sakatlıklardan dolayı, bütün geri dönme çabalarıma rağmen artık eski Mehmet Okur olamayacağımı anlamış bulunuyorum. Özel antrenörümle çalışmalarımı devam ettirirken, sayısız NBA takımlarından ve Avrupa'nın en elit takımları arasında yer alan kulüplerden teklifler aldım. Ancak, bir oyucunun, özellikle de belli seviyeyi aşmış bir oyuncunun vücudu, onun eskisi gibi olmasına müsaade etmemeye başladığında, onun artık çok sevdiği, hayatının yıllarca vazgeçilmez bir parçası olan spora veda etme zamanıdır ve bu an Mehmet Okur için gelmiştir" dedi.
reklam

33 yaşındaki oyuncu, "OYAK Renault altyapısında başlayan, TOFAŞ, Efes Pilsen, Detroit Pistons, Utah Jazz ve New Jersey Nets ile noktalanan basketbol kariyerim boyunca hem saha içinde, hem saha dışında milletime layık, gurur vesilesi bir sporcu olmaya gayret ettim. Başarılarım kadar başarısızlıklarım da, benim itici gücüm oldu. Ancak, benim için en önemlisi, sadece sporculuğum ile değil, yaşam tarzım ile de çocuklara ve gençlere doğru bir örnek olma gayretimdir" şeklinde konuştyu.

Okur, "Ben, Mehmet Okur; öncelikle ailemin, basketbol kariyerim boyunca bana emeği geçen antrenör, idareci ve takım arkadaşlarımın ve son olarak da her zaman beni destekleyen Türk halkının ortak bir eseriyim. Bu heyecan dolu 19 yıllık serüvende bana eşlik eden sizlere sonsuz teşekkür ediyorum" diyerek sözlerine son verdi.

red4hf · Post #3 » by **red4hf** » Thu Nov 8, 2012 2:28 pm

I wish him all the best..... He was great when he was here....... Jazz should bring him back as an assistant......

Post #4 » by **FJS** » Thu Nov 8, 2012 5:26 pm

I'm sorry for him. One of my favs players ever.

Post #5 » by **DelaneyRudd** » Thu Nov 8, 2012 5:29 pm

I hope Memo stays close to the team and community. My favorite player from that Jazz era.

Fido · Post #6 » by **Fido** » Thu Nov 8, 2012 6:47 pm

He got several offers? In other words, they were at the vet minimum. I enjoyed having him on the Jazz but he was done after his achillies injury.

UTJazzFan_Echo1 · Post #7 » by **UTJazzFan_Echo1** » Thu Nov 8, 2012 7:24 pm

Really sad to hear but probably the best thing for him. Really too bad his career was cut short... he was still a great player at the time of his injury.

HolyToledo12 · Post #8 » by **HolyToledo12** » Thu Nov 8, 2012 8:00 pm

Memo is "Money" in the 4th qtr, as a teammate, as a professional, and as a person!

BarneyGumble · Post #9 » by **BarneyGumble** » Thu Nov 8, 2012 8:25 pm

The Money Man is one of my all-time favorite players. In 2007 he went on a one of the best "clutch" streaks I've ever seen.

All the best to Memo. I am a lifetime member of the Church of Okur.

edfmx86 · Post #10 » by **edfmx86** » Thu Nov 8, 2012 9:07 pm

The Church of Okur has taken a huge blow today.

DiscoLives4ever · Post #11 » by **DiscoLives4ever** » Fri Nov 9, 2012 12:12 am

Okur was fantastic, and my respect for him only grew when he battled through injury for the good of the team. Unfortunately that risk cost him the rest of his career more-or-less, but he was clutch and a lot of fun to watch for a long time.

Post #12 » by **StocktonShorts** » Fri Nov 9, 2012 12:27 am

During the Lakers game last night after Pau Gasol attempted and missed a three, Bolerharp said something to the effect of "If you're the Jazz you'll let a 7-footer shoot a three all day" and not a word was said about Okur, who buried over 500 of them for the Jazz.

How quickly they forget. But I won't forget.

MeestR · Post #13 » by **MeestR** » Fri Nov 9, 2012 1:48 am

church of okur. i'll eat my turkey in memory, and proudly grow my double chin.

DiscoLives4ever · Post #14 » by **DiscoLives4ever** » Fri Nov 9, 2012 4:30 am

StocktonShorts wrote:During the Lakers game last night after Pau Gasol attempted and missed a three, Bolerharp said something to the effect of "If you're the Jazz you'll let a 7-footer shoot a three all day" and not a word was said about Okur, who buried over 500 of them for the Jazz.

How quickly they forget. But I won't forget.

Because Memo was only 6'11

Post #15 » by **StocktonShorts** » Fri Nov 9, 2012 6:32 am

DiscoLives4ever wrote:
StocktonShorts wrote:During the Lakers game last night after Pau Gasol attempted and missed a three, Bolerharp said something to the effect of "If you're the Jazz you'll let a 7-footer shoot a three all day" and not a word was said about Okur, who buried over 500 of them for the Jazz.

How quickly they forget. But I won't forget.

Because Memo was only 6'11

His perpetual bed head coif made him 7'

Luigi · Post #16 » by **Luigi** » Fri Nov 9, 2012 9:06 am

Turkish Delight in the 4th quarter...those were such good times.

seejaydeja · Post #17 » by **seejaydeja** » Fri Nov 9, 2012 3:30 pm

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GN1j7VT2fCQ[/youtube]

DiscoLives4ever · Post #18 » by **DiscoLives4ever** » Fri Nov 9, 2012 4:31 pm

seejaydeja wrote:[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GN1j7VT2fCQ[/youtube]

Video makes me wonder: just how good would a Favors/Okur lineup have been?

Neon Black · Post #19 » by **Neon Black** » Fri Nov 9, 2012 6:33 pm

This is sad. I'm going to buy myself a "sorry for your loss" card today.

MeestR · Post #20 » by **MeestR** » Sat Nov 10, 2012 2:08 am

seejaydeja wrote:[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GN1j7VT2fCQ[/youtube]

great video. i wish there was some way to capture his clutch-ness as well.