Mehmet Okur
The 'Money Man' Okur, a Turkish big man with a silky three-point shot, who became an NBA champion and a European basketball pioneer.
Born 1979 (age 47)·Turkish basketball player·Birthday: May 26·Generation X
Biography
Mehmet Okur's journey from Turkey to the NBA was a trailblazing one. Drafted by the Detroit Pistons, he quickly proved he was more than just a tall body, showcasing a shooting touch rare for a man his size. His defining moment came with the Pistons' 2004 championship, where his versatility off the bench was crucial. He then signed with the Utah Jazz, where he blossomed into an All-Star, beloved for his clutch shooting and earning the nickname 'Money Man' for his late-game heroics. Okur's success helped pave the way for other European big men, demonstrating that skill and finesse could thrive in the physically demanding NBA paint.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Mehmet was born in 1979, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Mehmet Was Born
The biggest hits of 1979
#1 Movie
Kramer vs. Kramer
Best Picture
Kramer vs. Kramer
#1 TV Show
Laverne & Shirley
Mehmet's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1979Born
Iran hostage crisis begins; Three Mile Island accident
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $37,900Min wage: $2.90/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"My Sharona" — The KnackBest Picture: Kramer vs. Kramer
1984Started school
Apple Macintosh introduced
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $59,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"When Doves Cry" — PrinceBest Picture: Amadeus
1992Became a teenager
LA riots after Rodney King verdict
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $84,300Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"End of the Road" — Boyz II MenBest Picture: Unforgiven
1995Could drive
Oklahoma City bombing; Windows 95 released
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $96,500Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Gangsta's Paradise" — CoolioBest Picture: Braveheart
1997Could vote
Princess Diana dies in Paris car crash; Harry Potter published
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $104,100Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Candle in the Wind 1997" — Elton JohnBest Picture: Titanic
2000Turned 21
Y2K passes without incident; contested Bush-Gore election
Gas: $1.51/galHome: $119,600Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Breathe" — Faith HillBest Picture: Gladiator
2009Turned 30
Michael Jackson dies; Bitcoin created
Gas: $2.35/galHome: $148,500Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Boom Boom Pow" — The Black Eyed PeasBest Picture: The Hurt Locker
2019Turned 40
First image of a black hole; Hong Kong protests
Gas: $2.60/galHome: $224,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Old Town Road" — Lil Nas XBest Picture: Parasite
2026Age 47 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won an NBA championship as a key reserve for the Detroit Pistons in 2004.
- Selected as an NBA All-Star in 2007 while playing for the Utah Jazz.
- Became the first Turkish-born player ever to be named to an NBA All-Star team.
- Helped lead the Turkish national basketball team to a silver medal at the 2010 FIBA World Championship.
Did You Know?
He earned the nickname 'Memo', a common Turkish shortening of Mehmet.
He was known for his distinctive pre-game ritual of kissing the basketball before the jump ball.
He led the NBA in three-point shooting percentage for centers multiple times during his career.
Before the NBA, he played professionally in Turkey for two years after being discovered at a youth tournament.
“I brought a big man's game with a shooter's touch to the paint.”
