National Basketball Player Cedi Osman responded to the statements of TBF President Hidayet Türkoğlu on his social media account.
Here is Cedi Osman’s post;
“In the days when the world is being tested with much more important issues and sufferings, I would not want to bother you with a personal issue. I feel deeply saddened that the National Team, whose jersey I have proudly carried throughout my life, is a subject of discussion. That’s exactly why I think the facts should be known.
To date, I have worn the national jersey 178 times in all categories. No matter what happened, I tried to do my best when given the task.
I have been playing basketball at the highest level for 10 years, the last 6 seasons in the NBA. This year, I started to realize that the mental and physical fatigue of years was now affecting my health. On June 2, 2023, in order not to victimize anyone, before the national team squad was announced, I met with the federation officials and asked for permission from this year’s FIBA Olympic Preliminary Tournament.
I said that I wanted to spend this period resting and rehabilitating. Our federation president Hidayet Türkoğlu and our national team officials were also present at the meeting. They approached the issue positively, approved it, and even stated that they wanted to protect me against any negative perception that might arise.
“I DID NOT REJECT THE NATIONAL JERSEY”
I did not refuse the national jersey. There is no jersey more valuable to me than the crescent-star jersey, but I will not allow anyone to put me in front of the public. “I want you to know that I never accept the accusations made against me and that I will continue to tell the truth.”
Best regards to the public. pic.twitter.com/FpvU4RN0Li
— Cedi Osman (@cediosman) October 18, 2023
WHAT HAPPENED?
Stating that Cedi Osman does not want to come to the national team, TBF President Hidayet Türkoğlu said, “Cedi Osman wrote and talked to our team. He said that he did not want to play in the national team. We cannot force anyone to come here or make them come to the national team unwillingly. This question is for Cedi or other friends rather than us.” “You have to ask. They do not have any injuries and they know why they do not want to play in the national team. Our responsibility is to determine the best 12 people. The absence of both our 2 recruiting friends and Cedi has brought us to a lacking point in terms of squad, but opportunities have opened up for new young friends.” He made statements.
WHO IS CEDI OSMAN?
Cedi Osman was born on April 8, 1995 in Ohrid, Macedonia. Cedi Osman, whose father is Turkish and mother Bosnian, immigrated to Sarajevo, Bosnia-Herzegovina, with his family in 1999.
At the age of 6, he registered with the KK Bosna club. While playing here, he was watched and discovered by Anadolu Efes scouts and later brought to Istanbul with his family when he was 13 years old.
Cedi, who became a Turkish citizen after moving to Turkey, started playing for Anadolu Efes youth team since 2007. He first started playing in the junior team of Anadolu Efes and lastly played in the star and youth teams.
Cedi started his professional career in 2011 at Efes’ second league pilot team, Pertevniyal. In the same year, he won the championship in the Turkish Young Men’s Basketball Championship with Pertevniyal’s youth team. Cedi signed a 4+1-year contract with Anadolu Efes towards the end of the 2012-13 season. He played his first official match for Anadolu Efes in the Gaziantep Basketball match played on May 4, 2013. He signed a contract with the NBA team Cleveland Cavaliers on July 18, 2017.
Cedi wore the Turkish national basketball team jersey for the first time at the 2014 FIBA World Championship held in Spain.
Cedi, who has an older brother named Caner Osman, who plays for Macedonia and is also a basketball player, currently plays for San Antonio Spurs, one of the NBA teams.