CAMDEN, N.J. — The 2021-22 season was not kind to Philadelphia 76ers guard Furkan Korkmaz. In his fifth season with the team, the expectation for him was he would provide a big boost to the team’s bench unit, but he was unable to do as he slumped all season.
Korkmaz shot just 28.9% from deep and he was out of the rotation toward the end of the season. It was a tough time for him after he appeared in a groove the previous two seasons where he shot 40.2% from deep in the 2019-20 season and then 37.5% in 2020-21.
At exit interviews back in May, Korkmaz said he knew how to fix his issues. At media day on Monday, he revealed what he did.
“I can say that right now,” Korkmaz said confidently. “I had a bit of nerve damage. Starting since the All-Star break of last year. That gives me a bit of losing the sensation of fingers and stuff. It was a little bit about injury, too. Then I lost my rhythm, my mechanics, like little changes I was feeling, but we really couldn’t tell what was going on.”
Over the summer, when he wasn’t competing for Turkey in EuroBasket 2022, Korkmaz was treated for the nerve damage. The hope is it will allow him to get back to being the shooter he was before.
“During the summer, I had enough time to look like what’s really going on and get treated,” he finished. “I had a rehab for like almost two months. I had time to get better, and now I’m like, I feel good. I feel much better. All I can think about is I cannot wait to just go out there and play.”
Korkmaz will have to fight to earn his spot in the rotation considering the additions the Sixers made in the offseason, but being able to feel his fingers is going to go a long way in helping him keep his spot in the rotation.
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