Former NBA star Hidayet 'Hido' Türkoğlu joins democracy watch

As reaction to the July 15 coup attempt by a Gülenist junta grows, former NBA star and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's chief sports adviser Hidayet Türkoğlu joins the anti-coup activists.

Türkoğlu, known as "Hido," attended a democracy vigil outside the presidential palace earlier this week and tweeted his thanks to anti-coup activists.

Türkoğlu also tweeted a photo of a group of democracy activists atop a tank of coup troops waving Turkish flags and wrote: "A coup attempt in Turkey was blocked by civilians for democracy and civil rights. I am proud to be part of these people."

The basketball star retired last year after 15 years in the NBA where he played for the Sacramento Kings, San Antonio Spurs, Orlando Magic, Toronto Raptors, Phoenix Suns and Los Angeles Clippers. Before his appointment as chief adviser to the president on sports affairs, Türkoğlu was CEO of the Turkish Basketball Federation.

Hido is among many sports figures voicing opposition to the coup. Barcelona's Arda Turan and other local and international sports celebrities join democracy rallies held every night all across the country since the coup attempt in a bid to support democracy.

Although most sports personalities voice support for the state against the Gülenist junta that planned the coup, some openly side with the Gülenists. Enes Kanter, another Turkish NBA star that currently plays for the Oklahoma City Thunder and former Galatasaray star Hakan Şükür voiced their support and loyalty to Gülenist Terror Organization (FETÖ) leader Fethullah Gülen, the prime suspect in the coup plot.