Salt Lake City, UT – Mehmet Okur, a onetime All-Star center for the Utah Jazz, announced his retirement from professional basketball Thursday according to various reports.
The Salt Lake City Tribune reported that injuries were the primary reason for the 33-year-old Turkish native's decision. Back problems had limited Okur to just 30 games over the previous two seasons.
Okur spent seven of his 10 NBA seasons with the Utah Jazz and was named a Western Conference All-Star during the 2006-07 season. He averaged 17.6 points and 7.2 rebounds that campaign, one year after setting career-best averages of 18.0 points and 9.1 rebounds per game with Utah.
The 6-foot-11 sharp-shooter was traded to the Nets prior to last season and appeared in 17 games for New Jersey before being shipped to Portland in March. Okur was subsequently waived before playing a game for the Trail Blazers.
In 634 career NBA games, Okur averaged 13.5 points and 7.0 rebounds and shot 37.5 percent from three-point range.
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