By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
Osman talked for the Turkish national team to FIBA and explained what it feels like to watch the games as a spectator since as an NBA player he was not able to help the team during the November “window”.
“My friends succeeded at this as a team,” he said. “We showed with these games that we’re a good team together with a wide squad and rotation. In a short while, we played with a very different squad than EuroBasket 2017, but we had a good start by fighting and using our game system. The philosophy of the Turkish national team is to fight until the last ball, regardless of what game we are playing. We managed to win in Bursa with also the support of our fantastic supporters and did the same in Kiev with a good play.”
While he wants to represent his homeland on June 28 against Ukraine and on July 1 against Sweden, two games that will be in Turkey, Osman says he has to wait and see.
“I have to comply with my game programs,” he said. “I hope we’ll go to the last game in the NBA this year. Of course, this means that I will spend the whole of June here (in the United States). However, if there are no health problems, and if the conditions are appropriate, wearing a national jersey is always an honor for me. When you wear that jersey, it gives you a huge responsibility and great excitement to feel that millions of people are backing you.”
Photo credit: FIBA