Kings Notes: Rookie Turkoglu shows he belongs
By Joe Davidson
Bee Staff Writer
(Published May 13, 2001)

Hedo Turkoglu fears no man, except maybe his father, Rahim, when he forgets to call home to Istanbul, Turkey, which he does twice daily.
The Kings rookie spars with teammates in practice, backing down Jason Williams or slithering past Vlade Divac in one-on-one duels and offering his own unique brand of Turkish smack. In games, Turkoglu is not shy about wrestling with Shaquille O'Neal for a loose ball or jawing with Kobe Bryant.
Bryant took exception to a foul from Turkoglu on Friday in Game 3, did a stare-down and barked, "You better watch yourself, boy!" Divac rushed in and provided a 7-foot-1 buffer, saying later, "We all have each other's back."
Since he arrived in Sacramento, Turkoglu has been bent on proving he belongs in this league -- to his parents, who initially pleaded for him to stay home, to himself.
"This is my first year, and I have to show to everyone what I can do, because no one knows me," Turkoglu said. "I'm not afraid of anything. I'll rebound, handle the ball, fight for a ball, talk stuff."
You certainly can't question Turkoglu's courage. He had a pizza delivered to the Alamadome last month in San Antonio before shootarounds (with extra mozzarella). In his Turkish pro days, Turkoglu took so many elbows to the face that his nose looks like something you'd find on a hockey ringer.
"It's not straight anymore, all messed up, and I had it broken so bad that I can't breathe out of one side," Turkoglu said. "I am going to have surgery this summer to fix it. That will only help me."

Despite limited minutes, Turkoglu enjoys royal welcome from Kings
Sacramento Welcomes Young Turk
By Chris Ekstrand
When you are an NBA rookie on a team with serious championship aspirations, playing time is usually hard to come by. And that's the way it has been this season for 21-year-old Hidayet Turkoglu, a native of Istanbul, Turkey, who has nonetheless found a home with the Sacramento Kings this season.

After all, it's not how many minutes you play, but what you do with them that counts. Whether Kings head coach Rick Adelman has called on Turkoglu (Turk-a-lou) for just a few minutes or an extended run, the 6-8, 220-pounder has impressed his coaches and teammates with his poise and ability.

"I feel if he were on a different team and were receiving quality minutes, he would be viewed as one of the top two or three rookies," Adelman told Marty McNeal of the Sacramento Bee. "My biggest problem, because of the makeup of our team, is to get him into games. Because of his maturity, confidence and ability, I think he'd be much further along."

But "Hedo" (hee-dough) is hardly complaining. Playing alongside Europeans Vlade Divac and Peja Stojakovic has helped Turkoglu (4.6 ppg in 15.2 mpg) acclimate quickly to the ways of life in the United States and in the NBA. Turkoglu's ability and work habits have helped him gain the acceptance of all of his teammates.

"He's been embraced by our other players," said Kings Vice President of Basketball Operations Geoff Petrie. "They think he is really talented. I think as time goes along, he'll be getting consistent playing time and that will grow as he gets more comfortable and seasoned into our team and the game."

Of course, it always helps if you can give your team a tangible example of your potential. Turkoglu gave all of the Kings an eyeful just a few weeks into the season. In a 125-101 win over Seattle on Nov. 25, Turkoglu tallied career-highs of 17 points and 10 rebounds. What's more impressive is that those numbers were produced in the fourth quarter alone.

"Everybody who gets drafted believes they can play in the NBA, but until you get out there and do it and have some success, and see yourself do it, you have questions," said Petrie. "I think (the Seattle game) definitely added a lot to his confidence. He's very similar to Peja in that he has a great work ethic. He is constantly working on his game, and doing extra things and studies the game. It's important to him."

Turkoglu, the 16th player chosen in the 2000 NBA Draft, is determined to become the first Turkish player to succeed in the NBA, but he understands that for now, he is on one of the best teams in the NBA, and every minute of playing time must be earned.

"It's tough sometimes, but it is the coach's decision and I must appreciate that," the former Efes Pilsen star said. "I'm not going to fight with the coach or make trouble for the team. I have to be ready every time. I am getting my confidence up, and everybody on the team is great to me."

Chris Ekstrand is a member of the NBA Editorial Department.