MYLES TURNER: CENTER OF ATTENTION
WORDS: RYAN JONES, Slam magazine, June 2014
Myles Turner is the guy everyone is waiting on. A consensus top-10 player in the 2014 class — and, in the eyes of many, the nation’s No. 3 overall prospect behind fellow big men Cliff Alexander and Jahlil Okafor — Turner is pretty much the only high impact recruit in the country not to have announced his college choice. He’s got his reasons, including a desire to see how various recruiting classes shape up, and wanting more time to develop relationships with the coaches doing the recruiting. But there’s another reason that comes as a pleasant surprise.
“My teammates are like family to me,” he says, “and with all these coaches coming through here, it’s a chance to get them some looks as well.”
To hear Trinity (TX) High coach Mark Villines tell it, that selflessness is one of Turner’s defining traits.
“He could’ve very easily left Trinity by now, and he’s been offered all kinds of things to go to one of the big prep programs,” Villines says. “He probably would’ve faced a little bit better talent, but he chose to stay here and do something great. I think that’s indicative of his whole career.”
That career wrapped up last month, leaving fans of seven programs — Arizona, Duke, Kansas, Kentucky, Ohio State, Oklahoma State and Texas rounded out his list in late March — to wait on Turner’s decision, which he was expecting to make in late April after the McDonald’s, Hoop Summit and Jordan All-American runs. The winner of the Turner sweepstakes will get a versatile 6-11, 235-pounder who has his oncourt priorities in order.
“I feel like I’m a real defensive presence — shot blocking, being able to defend the rim, is one of my key attributes that I pride myself on,” he says. “Offensively, I can stretch defenses, but also mix it up down low. I try to be kind of like Serge Ibaka, real vocal, a defensive anchor who can also stretch the defense, and also like LaMarcus Aldridge with that face-up game.”
Based on his skill set, and his upside — he just turned 18 in March 2014 — such comparisons and thoughts of an NBA future are highly realistic. As such, you can’t blame Turner for being aware that, within a year of his college announcement, he’ll likely be weighing the choice of whether to enter the NBA Draft. Like every kid at his level, he’s also aware of talk that the NBA’s one-and-done rule might soon be a two-and-done rule. He’s not a fan.
“You never want to rush anything, and I see what the logic is,” he says. “But some people need to support their family. In my opinion, if you’re ready to go, you need to go.”
Adds his coach, Mark Villines, “When people like Coach K tell you, ‘This kid’s a one and done, two and done at the most,’ you’re thinking, really? But enough people say it, and you see his potential and the things he has in his arsenal, you start to believe it.”
Turner will clear that defender when the time comes. For now, he can look back on a tremendous prep career, proud — and still motivated — at his place among his peers.
“Personally, I kind of like being the No. 2 player in the class,” says Turner, who holds down that spot in the ESPN 100. “It means I still have something to work for. Honestly, when I was unranked, I liked that even more. But being No. 2, it has its advantages. It means you’re still out there trying to prove you’re better than everybody.”
RYAN JONES, Slam magazine, June 2014
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