Ömer Aşık

Ömer Aşık (born July 4, 1986) is a Turkish professional basketball player. He is currently a center for the NBA's Chicago Bulls.

Aşık, standing at 7'0", was sought after by many of the top Euroleague basketball teams at the age of 19. Aşık got his first chance playing professionally with the Turkish basketball league team Fenerbahçe in 2005–06. Aşık moved around the Turkish league and eventually ended his Turkish club career with Fenerbahçe in 2008–2009. He gained recognition playing for the Turkish National Team in the 2010 FIBA World Championship, and as the starting center, he helped Turkey win the silver medal. In July 2010, Aşık signed a contract to become a Chicago Bull. He has been nicknamed "The Turkish Hammer" and "Asik and Destroy" by Bulls color commentator Stacey King. Ömer Aşık was first signed by Fenerbahçe Ülker in 2005. He only played one game before being traded on loan for 2005-06 season to FMV Işık Spor Kulübü, in the 2nd division. Fenerbahçe didn't have room on the roster for Aşık and needed his in-game development to continue. He signed for the 2006-07 season by Alpella İstanbul. He averaged 10.75 points and 11.25 rebounds over 40 games playing for Alpella. Leaving Alpella in December 2007, he resumed the season signing with Fenerbahçe for a second time. He was destined to be a superstar but in 2008 he tore his ACL and didn’t play for six months. When he returned, Aşık was creating havoc in the Turkey League, but he broke his collar-bone and didn't play for two months. After his recovery, Fenerbahçe tried to make him sign a new contract and held him out of the team until he signed. Aşık didn't give in and sat out the rest of the season. At Fenerbahçe, Aşık averaged 7.8 points and 6.1 rebounds during the 2007-2008 and 2008-2009 seasons. With the help of Aşık in the 2007-08 season, Fenerbahçe won the Turkish National Championship. Ömer became a 2 time All-Star for Fenerbahçe during the 2007-2008 and 2008-2009 seasons.

Turkish National Team
Ömer Aşık first played on the national stage when he was appointed to Turkey's 2006 U20 European Championship Men's Division A team. Ömer played a supporting role averaging only 2 ppg and 2.6 rpg. The 2006 U20 Turkey team won the silver medal losing in the Championship to Serbia & Montenegro. In 2010 Aşık was a part of the National Turkey Men's Team for the 2010 FIBA World Championship. Aşık played a significant role for Turkey with 8.9 ppg and 6.9 rpg, helping the national team to the championship game against USA. Turkey fell to the US 81-64, achieving the silver medal. Aşık proved himself against some of the greatest world's players, even scoring 17 points in a landslide victory over China.

NBA
Ömer Aşık was drafted 36th overall by the Portland Trail Blazers in the 2008 NBA Draft and immediately traded to the Chicago Bulls in a three-team deal. On July 13, 2010, Aşık was signed to a contract by the Chicago Bulls.

Rookie season training camp
ESPN's Nick Friedell asked the Chicago Bulls's Derrick Rose how much rookie center Ömer Aşık had improved since training camp started, he offered up a quick answer. "A lot," he said. "He's a guy [that's] real critical to our team. His age, he's young, he's active, playing hard. Him and Jo in the game together is crazy because they always get tips, loose balls, whatever. His offensive game is getting a lot better. He's shooting the ball a lot better from the free-throw line. He's getting a lot better as the preseason is going on."

2010-2011 season
On October 27, 2010, Aşık made his regular season debut for the Bulls in their first game of the season, a road game at the Oklahoma City Thunder. Asik earned more and more minutes as the season went on and eventually became one of the first players off the bench in the Bulls' playoff run. In the post season he suffered a fractured left fibula.

2011-2012 season
Aşık recovered from his injury suffered during the 2011 playoffs. On a nationally televised game on January 13, 2012, an ESPN announcer declared that he was "as good of a defensive center as anyone at his position in the league". After starting in only 2 regular season games, Aşık moved into the starting lineup after Noah was injured in game 3 of the Bulls' first-round series against Philadelphia. In the sixth and final game, Aşık missed two free throws in the last minute, allowing Philadelphia to take the lead and win the series. Throughout the game, however, Aşık had played well above his season averages, with 10 points, 9 rebounds, and 2 blocks (vs. 3.1 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 1 block per game).

Player profile
Aşık is known as a prominent interior defender and shot-blocker. He is an excellent rebounder and help-defender. His offensive-game is limited, with a career average of 2.9 points per game, and like many big-men, he is a poor free throw shooter.