Newz Forum: OLYMPICS: Utah Jazz's Mehmet Okur carries Olympic torch through Istanbul

ISTANBUL, Turkey - Mehmet Okur, who recently agreed to terms with the Utah Jazz, carried the Olympic torch in his native Turkey on Tuesday.

Okur, who played for the NBA champion Detroit Pistons this season, verbally committed to a multiyear contract with the Jazz on Monday.

The 6-foot-11 forward-center averaged 9.6 points in 22.3 minutes a game in the regular season and 3.7 points in 11.4 minutes in the postseason.

He was one of about 125 Turkish athletes, artists and community leaders to carry the Olympic torch through the city and over the Bosporus Bridge, a suspension bridge spanning Europe and Asia.

Torchbearers hailed the run as a new sign of friendship between traditional rivals Turkey and Greece.

The torch arrived in Istanbul from Kiev, Ukraine. It will travel to Sofia, Bulgaria, before reaching Athens for the Aug. 13-29 Olympics.

By the time the torch arrives in Athens it will have visited 34 cities in 27 countries, and passed through Africa and South America for the first time.

Man, the torch is really taking a tour this year, huh? So will it really help make friendship between these countries?