ISTANBUL, Turkey -- NBA star Hedo Turkoglu described Turkey coach Bogdan Tanjevic's decision to leave him off the roster for the world championships as an "injustice."
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Tanjevic said he cut Turkoglu for the Aug. 19-Sept. 3 tournament in Japan because the Orlando Magic forward asked to join the team late.
"This would be disrespectful to our national uniform and to our flag," Tanjevic told Turkish TV last week. "At the same time, it would be disrespectful to the other players."
Turkoglu, who reportedly had a back strain on Apr. 19, says he only asked for more time to recover.
"The answer I got really saddened me," he said Tuesday. "I think I didn't deserve this kind of injustice. He (Tanjevic) said he didn't need me, told me not to come to the national team."
Turkoglu claimed Tanjevic said he would never play for Turkey while it was under the coach's control.
"I've always prepared, and will prepare, to be useful to the national team," Turkoglu said. "I don't want the Turkish people to hold me responsible for this."
Turkoglu is highly admired in Turkey. Last year, the 6-foot-10 (208-centimeter) player returned to complete his mandatory military service.
Tanjevic said that the Utah Jazz' Mehmet Okur is in doubt after he brought a medical report from the United States stipulating he'd been injured the whole NBA season - even though he didn't miss a game.
Turkey's training camp begins July 3.
KUBNATION 
