Cleveland Cavaliers forward Cedi Osman has put together an impressive string of games for the Turkish national team. The Cavs youngster shined for his home country with 24 points in their comeback victory over the Czech Republic.
Turkey trailed by as many 23 points in the game, but Osman knocked down five of his 10 3-point attempts to bring his team surging back. Their 32-point swing led to an 89-80 victory in Osman’s second game of the VTG Supercup in Hamburg, Germany.
Osman carried momentum over from the 100-79 drubbing Turkey gave Germany in the opening round of the tournament. In that game, Osman splashed four triples en route to 20 points in just 24 minutes. He appears to be reaping the benefits of his reinvented jump shot form that debuted in the Las Vegas Summer League earlier this year.
Last season, the Cavs didn’t ask much of the 23-year-old. Osman averaged 3.9 points, 2.0 rebounds and 0.7 assists for his rookie season. Due to the departure of LeBron James, there has been chatter about Osman stepping into a starting role all summer. If he can bring his efficiency shooting off the dribble from overseas and showcase the versatility we saw from him in Las Vegas, he could be a candidate for Most Improved Player in 2018-19.
Osman only played 11 minutes a game for the Cavs this past year. As a starter, he would probably be expected to play at least double that. His continued success on the international stage will be critical to building his confidence and consistency at the next level.