Brooklyn Nets forward Bojan Bogdanovic managed to escape from Turkey during the military coup that took place.
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While it’s easy to get caught up in the sports world, it’s easy to forget that there are real world happenings going on in the world that are much larger than any professional sports. Over the weekend, a failed military coup took place in Turkey, which claimed the lives of many in tragic fashion.
Turkey is an important part of NATO and the coup attempt was a terrifying scene to say the least. It’s also a place where many NBA players have come from and there are basketball leagues there that feature some of the best talent in the world.
Brooklyn Nets forward Bojan Bogdanovic was vacationing with his girlfriend in Turkey at the time of the coup, as he got ready for the impending Olympics, where he will suit up for Croatia.
As Bogdanovic was relaxing at the Bodrum Peninsula, he just happened to be where Turkey president Recep Tayyip Erdogan was also staying. With the coup intended to take him out of power, Bogdanovic was clearly at the wrong place at the wrong time.
According to Nets Daily (via translation from sport-fm.gr.) Bogdanovic immediately fled the country by boat to Greece, where he then made his way to Croatia.
"Turkish air force planes flew low overhead and Erdogan claims dropped bombs on the hotel where plotters believed he was staying.Time to leave. Eurohoops and sportfm.gr report Bogdanovic got out via boat, crossing the Aegan to the Greek Island of Rhodes with the help of his agent and Greek team officials on the Rhodes end.The “escape” was arranged via his agent in collaboration with the team manager of the Greek team Colossus, George Gkotzogiannis and a member of the club board. The trip between Bodrum Peninsula and Rhodes takes an hour. The 27-year-old Croatian arrived safe, spend a few hours in Rhodes and then left for Zagreb, the Croatian capital. He heads to South America this week for the Olympics.Turkish air force planes flew low overhead and Erdogan claims dropped bombs on the hotel where plotters believed he was staying.Time to leave. Eurohoops and sportfm.gr report Bogdanovic got out via boat, crossing the Aegan to the Greek Island of Rhodes with the help of his agent and Greek team officials on the Rhodes end.The “escape” was arranged via his agent in collaboration with the team manager of the Greek team Colossus, George Gkotzogiannis and a member of the club board. The trip between Bodrum Peninsula and Rhodes takes an hour. The 27-year-old Croatian arrived safe, spend a few hours in Rhodes and then left for Zagreb, the Croatian capital. He heads to South America this week for the Olympics."
Bogdanovic was very fortunate to get out of a bad situation, as he was apparently in the hotbed of the primary target of the coup. In events like this, there is always innocent casualties that have nothing to do with what was going on.
He went there looking to relax, but ended up finding himself in the middle of a dangerous coup. Thankfully he will be able to suit up for Croatia in the Olympics.
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