By John Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
Shane Larkin announced via Twitter that he will be joining the Turkish national team. The 27-year-old American point guard was in talks with the Turkish Basketball Federation, TBF.
“I am honored and humbled to have an opportunity to represent this country by joining the Turkish National Team,” he noted, “Extremely excited to wear this jersey with the Turkish Flag across my chest with pride.”
FIBA allows each national team to have one naturalized player in its active roster. Larkin is set to take that spot in Turkey with the 2020 Olympic Qualifying Tournament coming up this summer. In the past players the likes of Bobby Dixon and Scottie Wilbekin have been part of Turkey’s squad in various major FIBA tournaments.
The team coached by Ufuk Sarica earned a second chance for a spot in the Olympics by capturing 22nd place in the 2019 FIBA World Cup. With Larkin on board will collide with Uruguay and Czech Republic next June in Canada. Greece, China and the hosts form the other group with only one ticket available for the Olympic Games.