New Orleans Pelicans center Omer Asik and NBA draftee Cedi Osman headline the 20-man Turkey men’s national team pool for the 2016 FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Manila, Philippines.
Asik, who missed the 2015 FIBA EuroBasket, averaged 4 PPG and 6.1 RPG in the 2015-16 NBA season. Asik was part of Turkey’s 2014 World Cup squad where he averaged 9.9 PPG and a team-high 8.4 RPG.
Osman was the 31st overall pick of the 2015 NBA Draft by the Minnesota Timberwolves. He was the MVP of the FIBA Europe Under-20 Championship in 2014, and is currently playing pro basketball in the Turkish Basketball League.
Completing the pool are Ender Arslan, Dogus Balbay, Birkan Batuk, J. Metecan Birsen, Semih Erden, Tolga Gecim, Samet Geyik, Sinan Gulee, Baris Hersek, Furkan Korkmaz, Huseyin Goksenin Koksal, Melih Mahmutoglu, Ali Muhammed, Can Maxim Mutaf, Oguz Savas, Kenan Sipahi, Metin Turen, and Mehmet Yagmur.
Turkey, however, will be missing Orlando Magic forward Ersan Ilyasova and Oklahoma City Thunder center Enes Kanter.
Enes Kanter will not be in Manila for the OQT (FIBA Images)
Ilyasova, who was acquired by the Magic from the Detroit Pistons earlier this year, is expected to focus on his immediate future. Ilyasova last suited up for Turkey in the 2015 EuroBasket.
Yahoo! Sports reported last year that Kanter claimed he was left out off the national team due to his political beliefs.
Turkey is in Group A of the Manila OQT with Senegal and Canada. Gilas Pilipinas is grouped with France and New Zealand.
