Mehmet Okur played a huge part in Detroit Pistons' NBA championship triumph - and the Turkish
power-forward immediately proclaimed his personal success as a real boost for basketball in his home country.

Okur had a big impact after coming on five minutes before the half-time interval against the LA Lakers, as he scored two doubles and a three-pointer to give Detroit a crucial 10-point lead, as well as making Shaquille O'Neal commit his third foul of the game.

Mehmet re-entered the game with three minutes left and with one minute remaining he was taken off to a tremendous ovation, with the Pistons fans ready to celebrate a 100-87 win and a comprehensive 4-1 series success.

Newspapers back in Turkey exclaimed 'Mehmet is NBA Champion' as they reported on the first Turkish player to feature in the NBA final series.

After the game Mehmet told NBA TV: "All my dreams have come true.

"I lived a championship dream during my second year here and I can not put what I feel into words right now. I can't even believe we did this.

"I hope I play again for the club playing for the championship and see more championships in my career. I believe all basketball fans in Turkey also are very happy that we won.

"I believe I represent Turkish basketball here. And I am proud of that. I will try to continue that way."

Okur is the star player in the Turkey national team, but because of his involvement with Detroit, he was not part of the squad in a training camp on June 15 and 16.

Several players from Efes Pilsen and Ulker joined the camp, along with Hidayet Turkoglu from San Antonio Spurs.

Turkolu had a meeting with the coach Bogdan Tanjevic before the morning session of the first day of training, and he now claims that he - and his team-mates - are eager to erase the memory of two disappointing years with the national team.

"We have opened up a new page with Tanjevic," said Turkolu.

"All my friends and myself are very eager to play for the national team now. Everybody will see how successful we will be at 2005."