"I wish we had more time to play together in our primes" - Peja Stojakovic on playing with Hedo Turkoglu
The Sacramento Kings drafted a young Turkish guy by the name of Hedo Turkoglu in the first round of the 2000 NBA Draft. While he showed promise as a rookie, Hedo departed after three seasons, leaving fans and teammates, including Peja Stojakovic, disappointed that they never witnessed his growth in a Kings uniform.
"He was such an amazing talent. People don't understand how talented Hedo is," the three-time All-Star said on the Knuckleheads podcast. "He's a legit 6'10". I kinda look back, and I wish we had more time together to play in our primes."
It was an unfortunate turn of events for the team, but it is what it is. As Peja recalled, Chris Webber got hurt in 2003, which prompted the Kings front office to trade for another big man to fill the void. They got a chance to acquire Brad Miller from the Indiana Pacers, but it also meant letting Turkoglu go to the San Antonio Spurs. Sacramento pulled the trigger on that sign-and-trade deal, marking the end of Hedo's stay in California's capital.
Our younger brother
When Turkoglu relocated from Istanbul to Sacramento, Stojakovic took him under his wing.
"When Hedo get drafted, he gave all his contract to buy out his contract (from Anadolu Efes in Turkey). I remember when he came in, he was like, how can I live? I think what was left was $100,000 for him to get by," the Serbian sharpshooter stated. "He is our younger brother. So, Vlade, being my older brother and mentor, both of us felt we needed to step in. From that moment on, Hedo was with us. Hedo was at my house. My mom was cooking; he was with us every day."
After his rookie contract was up, Turkoglu signed a six-year deal with the Orlando Magic worth over $36 million in 2004. He then secured a five-year contract in 2009 for $52.8 million before signing for veteran minimums to finish off his career.
Ahead of his time
One thing that Peja lamented so much during his time with the Kings is the fact that the main guys were not in the same age group. They were all operating on different timelines, so somebody had to go at some point. As he mentioned, a young Hedo got traded, and everyone had to grow apart.
Nonetheless, Turkoglu carved out a role that perfectly suited his skills. The 2010 FIBA World Cup silver medalist transformed the point forward position in Orlando, effectively orchestrating plays as a versatile ballhandler. During the 2007-08 season, he averaged 19.5 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 5.0 assists, which earned him the Most Improved Player award.
A year later, the Magic made the Finals, going through a gauntlet of Eastern Conference powerhouses. They beat the defending champion Celtics in the second round and prevailed over LeBron James and the Cavs in six games in the Eastern Conference Finals. Hedo averaged 15.8 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 4.8 assists in 24 postseason games in 2009. Although ultimately, they were stopped from achieving the main prize, the Turk will always be remembered in the memories of Magic fans.
