After a 15-year career that featured stops with six NBA teams, Hedo Turkoglu has decided to bring his NBA career to a close. The Turkish-born native retires with a total of 997 career games, averaging 11.1 points per game.
Turkoglu was never a star player, but having the kind of staying power he did without being an elite player is notable. He shot 38 percent from three-point range for his career. Any player who can shoot efficiently in the NBA is going to have some kind of value.
Undoubtedly, Turkoglu is most identifiable with the Orlando Magic. He played seven and a half seasons in two stints with the Magic. In the 2007-2008 season, Turkoglu averaged 19.5 points per game, helping Dwight Howard and Stan Van Gundy’s team win 52 games that season.
Turkoglu most recently played with the Los Angeles Clippers, whom he signed with in January of 2014. The effects of his age began to really show in 2014-2015, where he averaged 3.7 points per game while playing 11 minutes per game.
Dan Savage of NBA.com reported that the Magic will honor Turkoglu with a special ceremony on December 18th. Savage also released a statement from Turkoglu, who said this:
"“I am very thankful and grateful for the opportunity to live out my dream and play in the NBA,” said Turkoglu. “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 was named the NBA Most Improved Player in 2007 and was named to the NBA All-Rookie Second Team in 2001. He also was on the FIBA World Cup All-Tournament Team in 2010, the highlight of a long international career for the Turkish native.
Turkoglu will likely not be remembered very much by any other team than the Magic, but his fifteen years of NBA experience is fifteen more years than most of us can say we have. He had a solid career in the NBA, and we wish him and his family the best in his life after basketball.