Basketball: 'Hedo' named new head of Turkish federation

By O. Bugra Ersavas

ANKARA (AA) - Former NBA player Hidayet Turkoglu was named president of the Turkish Basketball Federation on Wedndesday.

Turkoglu, 37, was voted to the position at the federation’s general assembly in Ankara by 113 out of 143 votes.

Popularly known as Hedo, he was previously the federation’s CEO and was named as sports adviser to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in March.

He began his basketball career Efes Pilsen -- now Anadolu Efes -- before moving to the U.S. in 2000 to play for the Sacramento Kings, becoming the first Turkish player to join the NBA. He later played for the San Antonio Spurs, Orlando Magic, Toronto Raptors, Phoenix Suns and Los Angeles Clippers in a 15 year spell in the U.S.

As a long-standing player for the Turkish national team he won silver medals at the 2001 European Championships and the 2010 World Championships.