Hedo Turkoglu Retires: Latest Details, Comments and Reaction
Longtime forward Hedo Turkoglu announced his retirement Friday after a 15-year NBA career that included stops with six different teams.
Dan Savage of NBA.com passed along the news and provided comments from the 36-year-old veteran about his experience: "I am very thankful and grateful for the opportunity to live out my dream and play in the NBA. I will always remember my teammates, coaches, staff members and all of the fans who made my career so wonderful for myself and my family."
Turkoglu started his career with Efes Pilsen in his native Turkey before getting drafted by the Sacramento Kings with the 16th overall pick in the 2000 draft. He went on to make stops with the San Antonio Spurs, the Orlando Magic, the Toronto Raptors, the Phoenix Suns and the Los Angeles Clippers.
His best season came with the Magic in 2007-08. He averaged 19.5 points, 5.7 rebounds and 5.0 assists per game while shooting 40 percent from three-point range. He was named the league's Most Improved Player for his efforts.
He finishes his career averaging 11.1 points across 997 career games. Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports reported in July that Turkoglu hoped to keep playing so he could surpass the 1,000-game mark. Apparently, the right opportunity didn't arise before he decided to call it quits.
The NBA.com report notes the Magic are going to honor Turkoglu on Dec. 18. He made two separate stops with the organization and had some of his best years while in Orlando, so it's the perfect place to put a cap on a successful career.
