Turkoglu, fatigued after a long playoff run and a long summer of commitments to the Turkish national team, is also being shut down for the early part of the week. Turkoglu is dealing with a knee problem that needs some time according to head coach Jay Triano. "It's his fatigue level right now," Triano said. "He's just going to work with (the training staff) and rehab his knee and get to the point where he can perform at 100%. The past four months he has played going back to June has been some pretty intense basketball so we are just going to ease him back in and make sure we don't wear him down."
The Turkish player,Ersan ILYASOVA, is back with the Bucks and being counted on as an important part of coach Scott Skiles' power forward rotation. He's played competitively at a very high level," Skiles said. "Just look at his body; his body is filled out. That comes from playing with one of the top clubs in Europe and also playing a starring role for Turkey's national team. That comes from playing with one of the top clubs in Europe and also playing a starring role for Turkey's national team. "All the time my goal was to get back," Ilyasova said. "I went overseas to be a good player and improve. I think I did really well for Barca the last two years. I played a lot of games there." Ilyasova helped Barcelona reach the Euroleague final four during the past season, a prestigious accomplishment for any top European club. He averaged 10.5 points and 7.0 rebounds in 22 Euroleague games, while shooting 49.5% from the field and 40.3% from three-point range. It's a good time for Ilyasova now, returning to the NBA and Milwaukee, a city he enjoyed during his two years here. Next summer he will enjoy another challenge as Turkey plays host to the 2010 World Championship.
Abdul-Jabbar took Bynum under his considerable wing, taught him post skills and footwork, while Bynum listened and grew into one of the brightest young centers in the NBA. Sources close to the team said Abdul-Jabbar will be playing a lesser role with both the Lakers and Bynum this season. With his round-the-clock tutoring of Bynum not needed as much, sources said Abdul-Jabbar would likely spend less time with the team and more in his hometown of NewYork. Abdul-Jabbar expressed disappointment in Bynum and the situation, saying, "I think there are things that have to do with basketball that he could learn but he's getting on in years." Bynum said he understood his mentor's feelings, but that it's not personal and just a natural evolution for him in his career. "I understand where he's coming from," Bynum said. "It's definitely tough (for him). As of right now, I have my direction and he's still helping me. As long as he doesn't stop helping me, everything is going to be fine." Bynum is in the first year of a four-year, $57.4 million contract, which he signed last fall. He has increased his scoring in each of his first four seasons, averaging a career-high 14.3 points a game last season in 50 games.
