"From the 20-foot-high facing of an overpass bridging a six-lane highway on the southwestern edge of this massive city, his face beams down.

In and around the Sultanahmet area — the gorgeous, centuries-old home of the Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia, the two most recognizable landmarks of this historic city — his face adorns billboards and buildings at almost every turn.

He is there in the port and around the arena, omnipresent.

And when you mention Hedo Turkoglu's name around these parts, people perk up."