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Suns Add Mehmet Okur to Coaching Staff

Image After drafting two teenage skilled big men in June, the Suns have hired Mehmet Okur as a player development coach to help them reach their potential. Okur, 37, retired four years ago after a 10-season NBA career in which he was a 2007 All-Star and was known as a clutch NBA shooting big man. Okur is best known for his seven-year run in Utah, where his last season (2010-11) was spent with Suns head coach Earl Watson as a Jazz teammate and new Suns assistant coach Tyrone Corbin as the Jazz head coach.
Okur will specialize in all Suns post players' skill development, joining a player development staff that also added Scott Duncan and Marlon Garnett and returns player development coach Jason Fraser. Okur comes to the Suns just as No. 4 pick Dragan Bender, who is 18 years old, and No. 8 pick Marquese Chriss, who is 19, enter their rookie seasons as NBA big men with skill and untapped potential. Okur, Turkey's first NBA All-Star, and Bender already have a commonality because each man grew up idolizing Toni Kukoc.

Okur, who has served as a Jazz ambassador since his retirement, averaged 13.5 points and 7.0 rebounds with 37.5 percent 3-point shooting in his NBA career. The 6-foot-11 power forward/center played on Detroit's 2004 NBA championship team and last played for New Jersey. The Suns also announced the addition of Jason Hervey as an advance scout. Hervey has worked in the NBA for 11 years with Minnesota (2014-16 college scout), Detroit (2012-14 director of basketball operations), Washington (2009-12 advance scout and video coordinator) and Detroit (2005-09 assistant video coordinator).
By Paul Coro - http://www.azcentral.com
Last modified onSaturday, 06 May 2017 10:07
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