Mehmet Okur played basketball ahead of his time, according to former NBA center Brook Lopez, who recently reflected on how the Turkish big man’s floor-spacing style would thrive in the modern era of the sport. Okur, a 2004 NBA champion with the Detroit Pistons and an All-Star with the Utah Jazz, built his career on long-range shooting and perimeter mobility at the center position.
Brook Lopez Appreciates the Modern Fit
During a discussion regarding historical roster fits and positional evolution, Lopez evaluated Okur’s career through the lens of today’s pace-and-space NBA. According to Lopez, the style of play that defined Okur’s career mirrors the exact blueprint modern franchises seek in a stretch-five.
“Back then he was already really good, but you can imagine if you put his playing style into today’s NBA—today’s basketball style is practically tailor-made for him,” Lopez noted when discussing the former center’s unique offensive skillset.
A Pioneer of the Stretch-Five Role
Drafted 37th overall by the Detroit Pistons in the 2001 NBA Draft, Okur spent his early career developing under coach Larry Brown. He was a key contributor off the bench for the Pistons team that defeated the Los Angeles Lakers in the 2004 NBA Finals.
Following his championship run in Detroit, Okur signed a multi-year offer sheet with the Utah Jazz, where he flourished under head coach Jerry Sloan. In Salt Lake City, Okur transformed from a traditional backup center into a lethal perimeter threat. During the 2006-07 NBA season, he averaged a career-high 17.6 points and 7.2 rebounds per game while shooting nearly 38 percent from three-point range. For a center during that era, taking five or six three-pointers a game was a tactical anomaly; today, it is an offensive standard.
How the Modern Game Mirrors Okur’s Skillset
In contemporary professional basketball, frontcourt players who cannot shoot from distance often find themselves marginalized against switching defenses and modern defensive schemes. Teams routinely utilize centers to pull rim protectors away from the paint, opening driving lanes for guards.
Okur pioneered that exact tactical approach two decades ago. Beyond his shooting touch, he possessed passing vision and high basketball IQ, allowing him to operate effectively at the top of the key and in hand-off actions. In today’s league—where floor balance dictates offensive efficiency—Okur would profile as an elite offensive hub, capable of punishing drop coverage and forcing opposing rim protectors out to the perimeter.
Legacy in Detroit and Utah
Okur finished his NBA career with stints playing for the New Jersey Nets and Portland Trail Blazers before retiring due to back injuries. Across 635 regular-season games, he averaged 13.5 points and 7.0 rebounds per contest. He remains widely respected by teammates and opponents alike as one of the league’s true offensive innovators at the center position.
As the NBA continues to embrace positionless basketball, evaluations from current stars like Lopez highlight how much the game’s tactical philosophy has evolved to catch up with players who saw the floor differently years ago.
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