I´m an avid basketball fan here in usa. In my opinion, I think international basketball players are definitely leading the teams here and they are some of the toughest players in the world.  Think about it, they played in teams around the world and had to play under different coaches and learn different tactics, deal with language barriers and cultures, overcome many obstacles and still somehow get out on the floor and play hard!  My local team, has had some excellent international  players and now we will see Hedo here soon....  Much respect to all the teams in FIBA, win or lose, they worked hard to get to the finals.. GO TURKEY!

I´ve missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I´ve lost almost 300 games. 26 times, I´ve been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I´ve failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed. -

Michael Jordan

Some people want it to happen, some wish it would happen, others make it happen. -

Michael Jordan

Semih and Hidayet are now playing for the current national team. Mirsad quitted to play for national team and afaik Mehmet has an injury. Lots of bosniak origin Turkish citizens playing in Turkish basketball league. I think they were born to play basketball.

 Yeap! There must be something in the air! 

And the ground must be watery 

Tomorrow will be the day of sports At 17.00 Turkey - Greece Volleyball Man, At 19.00 USA - Lithuania also some football super legue matches for football funs and at 21.00 Turkey - Serbia. 

This weekend really is a bayram

Right! 8 years ago Serbia came from nothing and win the championship. 4 years ago you were literally absent. And now you have a completely new team of youngsters and have hopes to win it again.

Anyway, I admire your people´s ability for basketbal.

I wathed the first leg of the volleyball game last week. We really outperformed Greece. We will probably pass them this time as well.

Slavica,

Armegon is referring to a Turkish saying we use to talk about big tall guys:

"Sulak yerde büyümüş" = "He must have grown up somewhere with much of water supply"

Just out of curiosity, I have found some data for average male height here:

Stats between 2006-2008

Metric System Version:

1)Average Height by Country (Youth:20-30 years)
Country/Average Male Height (cm)/population

Netherlands 184,8 16318199
Iceland 181,5 319355
Denmark 181,1 5413392
Czech Republic 180,8 10246178
Slovenia 180,3 2007711
Germany 180,3 82424609
Norway 180,3 4737171
Sweden 180,0 8986400
Croatia 180,0 4496869
Finland 180,0 5214512
Luxembourg 179,9 486006
Estonia 179,6 1307605
Austria 179,2 8174762
Australia 179,0 19913144
Serbia 178,5 10159046
Poland 178,3 38626349
Switzerland 178,1 7450867
Belgium 178,0 10348276
Greece 177,9 10647529
United Kingdom 177,8 60270708
United States 177,6 293027571
New Zealand 177,5 3993817
Hungary 177,3 10106017
Ireland 177,0 3969558
Ukraine 176,5 47732079
Canada 176,3 32507874
Lithuania 176,3 3565205
Russia 176,2 143782338
Israel 176,2 7112359
Lebanon 176,2 3777218
Turkey 176,1 68893918
France 176,0 60424213
Uzbekistan 175,4 26410416
Spain 175,0 40280780
Senegal 175,0 10852147
Italy 174,8 58057477
Mali 174,5 12324029
Jamaica 174,3 2804332
South Korea 174,2 48598175
Romania 174,0 22355551
Azerbaijan 174,0 8177717
Uruguay 173,7 3399237
Portugal 173,5 10524145
Argentina 173,5 39144753
Iran 173,4 67503205
Syria 173,0 18016874
Taiwan 172,7 22920946
Morocco 172,7 32209101
Egypt 172,3 76117421
Tunisia 172,3 9974722
Algeria 172,2 32129324
Côte d´Ivoire 172,1 18373060
Japan 172,1 127333002
Hong Kong 172,1 7210505
South Africa 172,0 42718530
Gambia 172,0 1735464
China 171,8 1298847624
Cameroon 171,6 16063678
Ghana 171,5 23382848
Brazil 171,3 184101109
Colombia 171,2 42310775
Chile 171,0 15823957
Singapore 170,8 4353893
Venezuela 170,5 23542649
Paraguay 170,5 6191368
Pakistan 169,3 159196336
Mexico 169,2 104959594
Thailand 169,0 64865523
Mongolia 168,8 2751314
Malaysia 168,5 23522482
Sri Lanka 168,0 20064776
Malawi 168,0 13931831
Bahrain 167,6 718306
Iraq 167,4 25374691
Nigeria 167,0 138283240
Peru 166,3 27544305
North Korea 166,1 22697553
Vietnam 165,0 82689518
India 164,5 1065070607
Philippines 164,2 86241697
Indonesia 163,0 238452952
Cambodia 162,5 13363421

Yes, I supposed so, although I didn´t know the exact saying. We have the similar saying: "He grows as from water" for someone who grows fast 

Anyway, I don´t think the hight is crucial for good basketball players (data you´ve posted prove that). Serbia and ex-Yugoslavia (which used be one of the best counties in basketaball and whose direct successor, considered by FIBA, is Serbia) had many excellent and world famous basketball players who were only 180-190 cm. Seems that there really IS something in the air of some countries, when you consider, as for example, population, and results in some sports, let´s say basketball. It is easy for Russia, to find "12 Dev Adam" among 150 million people, but look at Lithuania, with only 3,5 million, they are as good as Russians, and probably better. I won´t mention Serbia and its 10 million  .

TÜRKİYE, ANKARA, FIBA  WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP 2010
BASKETBALL
WORLD BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP
WORLD BASKETBALL CUP
11.09.2010
TÜRKİYE       : 83
SIRBİSTAN    : 82
Bravo TÜRKİYE!
GREAT TÜRKİYE!
TÜRKİYE IS COMING FOR  THE NEW WORLD CHAMPION
THE FINAL MATCH = TÜRKİYE - USA

Greetings from ANKARA, 23.45

Congratulations 

And good luck tomorrow...