NEW YORK – A U.S.-born Turkish basketball player has been found dead in New York, according to media reports. The New York Daily News reported that police found the body of Ali Karadeniz –born Michael Wright — in his SUV under a pile of garbage bags in Brooklyn Tuesday morning. He was sprawled in the backseat of the vehicle and covered with trash bags, the daily said, citing police sources. 
Hedo Turkoglu’s 15-year NBA career is officially over—the 36-year-old announced his retirement from the game on November 13th. Turkoglu played for five teams, making his biggest mark with the Orlando Magic (he averaged a career-high 19.5 PPG during the 2007-08 campaign.) The Magic will honor Turkoglu next month. 
ISTANBUL - Turkish Basketball Federation (TBF) president Harun Erdenay unveiled 35-year-old legendary former player Hidayet (Hedo) Turkoglu as the new CEO of the TBF at a press conference in Istanbul on Monday. Turkoglu officially confirmed his retirement as a player last Friday although the writing was on the wall for some time, as he had announced last spring the end of his long international career with Turkey and did not pursue a new contract with any team after concluding the 2014/15 season on the roster of the Los Angeles Clippers. "Hedo has been the NBA player with the longest service to the national team as he played every summer from 1998 through 2013 year and only missed out in 2006 due to injury," TBF president Erdenay said on Monday. "His experience is extremely valuable and the TBF has decided to make use of its value and we are confident that he will contribute a new vision.
Brooklyn, NY – The Brooklyn Nets will host Fenerbahce Ulker Istanbul of the Turkish Basketball League for a preseason game on October 5, 2015 at 7:30 p.m. at Barclays Center, General Manager Billy King announced today. "We are excited to be hosting Fenerbahce, as it will be a reunion for Bojan Bogdanovic with his former team,” said King. "Our fans will have an opportunity to see one of the best coached teams in all of Europe when they come to Brooklyn." NEW ORLEANS – While the Clippers’ latest acquisition, Glen Davis, had a boisterous discussion with his new teammates after Monday’s 123-110 victory over New Orleans, Hedo Turkoglu calmly ate a salad on the other side of the room. Turkoglu, the Clippers’ other midseason pickup, had just left a big stamp on the team’s win and earned praise from Coach Doc Rivers. 
Tiger Woods says he is looking forward to playing in the upcoming Turkish Airlines Open in Istanbul after a fairly successful 2013. The American is set to play a stroke-play event for the first time in six weeks in Istanbul in what is a rare appearance on the European Tour for the 14-time Major winner.
Mayor Kelly D. Kautz is excited to announce the latest enhancement to Snellville's Briscoe Park with the donation and installation of new outdoor fitness equipment on the walking trail. The purchase and installation of the equipment was made possible by a generous 100% donation from Aksa Park/Meyko Outdoor Fitness Equipment, a Turkish based company, with no costs to the citizens of Snellville. The addition of this new equipment will provide a unique fitness venue for the entire community, young and old and will thereby contribute to improving the health and quality of life for the citizens of Snellville. 
Orlando Magic forward Hedo Turkoglu has been suspended 20 games for violating terms of the league's anti-drug program, the National Basketball Association (NBA) said on Wednesday. Turkoglu, who has averaged 2.9 points and 2.4 rebounds in 11 games this season for Orlando, tested positive for anabolic steroid methenolone, the NBA said in a statement.
Thirteen countries will host the 2020 European Championship, UEFA decided Friday, with each host providing a single stadium for the 24-team tournament. In an effort to encourage smaller countries to join the project, the UEFA executive committee pledged to choose two stadiums holding as few as 30,000 spectators. Other stadiums must have a 50,000 capacity, which at least 20 of UEFA?s 53 member nations already have. 
The Miami Heat should consider signing Mehmet Okur. Okur is a 6’11” veteran center who averages 13.5 points per game and seven rebounds per game, and shoots 37.5 percent from the three point line for his career. Okur is a big man that can add more versatility to the Heat as a nearly seven footer who can shoot the three. Okur has played in an All-Star game and was a role player on the Detroit Pistons team during their 2004 NBA championship run starting his career there and being with the Pistons from the 2002-2003 season to the 2004-2005 season. 
Reality has set in for the Chicago Bulls, with ESPNChicago reporting that the team will not be able to retain center Omer Asik (whom the Rockets signed to an offer sheet on Friday). Asik joins Jeremy Lin, foreign import Donatas Motiejunas and three first-round draft picks in the cadre of new, young players who will grace the Rockets' roster next year.
