As is the case with every high paid player in professional sports, fans absolutely love to rip at and complain about the lack of productivity that individual provides on any given occasion. Small forward Hedo Turkoglu has definitely been no exception to this, it’s just been 51 games that Turk has been a Raptor and he has already often been made the butt-end of fan and media attention.
Yes, Turkoglu’s numbers are down, he’s averaging only 12.4 PPG this year versus 16.8 last year, and 19.5 the year prior to that. Yes, Turkoglu is making a lot money, a total of $53 million to be exact, all to keep him in Raptor red until the end of the 2013-14 season. And yes, Turkoglu has missed a lot of shots that he always seemed to bury when dawning Orlando Magic blue. But aside from all of that, I am writing this piece to help Raptor fans realize the value this Turkish sensation really has, hoping to give them a greater appreciation for number 26.
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Oh, and of course, if Turk just happens to read this and as result gives me a signed jersey and season seats, it would all become that much better.
Here is what I believe Hedo brings the Raptors…
- Lethal in the Clutch – I am definitely not the first person to tell you this, but we all know Hedo is more than willing to have the ball in his hands when the game is on the line. In case you have never noticed, go in the NBA archives and watch a bit of last year’s playoff series between the Magic and Cavs. Not only is Hedo willing to take the big shot, he is also very capable of making it, something very few players in the NBA can proclaim themselves to be adequate at. Turk has already come through twice for the Raptors this season –the big shot over Caron Butler and the Wizards, and the free throws against the Lakers. Yes, Turk did miss that one opportunity against the Suns, but I wouldn’t hold that against him.
- Respected by the Officials – As with every professional sport, the bigger the name you are, the more likely you are to get the time of day from that league’s officials. To help prove this to you, just look at the number of calls Kobe Bryant gets in his favor, in comparison to let’s say a Kris Humphries. Being in the league for 9 seasons, and having made it to the NBA finals last year, Turk is probably the only Raptor –outside of Bosh –who the officials will ever give the benefit of the doubt to.
- Respected by the Opposition – In basketball one thing is definitely true, a players history will always precede them. And lucky for the Toronto Raptors, Hedo Turkoglu’s play in the playoffs last year was quite the historical foundation. Whether his shots are falling as often as he would like or not, Turk’s history commands the attention and respect of the opposing team. Before Turkoglu came into the picture, no one on the Raptors –once again outside of Bosh –drew this attention, and this as a result has created more open looks and less double coverage for CB4.
- Play Creator – It may not show up on the stat sheets as predominantly as points or rebounds, but in addition to being a lights out shooter, Hedo has always been quite the playmaker. He has done so consistently once again this year with the Raptors, even on the nights when fans seem to perceive him as useless solely because his shot isn’t falling.
It is these four factors that I feel truly make Hedo Turkoglu an incredibly valuable player, and a large factor in the Raptors currently being 5 games over .500. So please Raptor fans stop bashing on the guy, he just wants the ‘Ball’ and is more than capable of making good things happen when he has it.
FanSided
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