UNION, N.J. – Hard to believe you can hide a skilled big man.
It’s also galling when his measurements are 6-feet-10, 225 pounds, with a 7-2 wingspan. That was the case in Texas, where things done in a big way … as in one gigantic screw up.
The story of upstart Myles Turner, a rising senior from Trinity High in Euless, Texas (a suburb of Dallas), starts last summer when he broke an ankle forcing him to the sidelines during the crucial “live period.”
No quality playing time means zero exposure. Without exposure, Turner was just another big man waiting for a chance to showcase his soft touch from the perimeter and high-post passing skills.
“Passing for a big man is underrated. That’s something I like doing, keeping my teammates involved in the game,” he said.
When he started his junior season at Euless Trinity—traditionally known as one of the nation’s premier football programs—he wasn’t a top option.
For real?
“I didn’t get the ball the first half of the season, but in the second half I did; we made a run and qualified for the [Class 5A] playoffs for the first time since 2006,” said Turner, who was one of 17 invited to participate this week at the Nike Big Man Skills Academy held for three days in Kean University’s Harwood Arena.
Once easy-going, well-spoken big man became, well, the man, the Trojans (17-12 overall) went 10-3 to close the season, which ended in the Class 5A bi-district playoffs. Trinity finished tied for third in District 6 with a 10-4 record behind Colleyville Heritage and Irving MacArthur.
Turner arrived on the national scene this spring “blowing up” at the Real Deal in the Rock (Little Rock, Ark.) playing for Texas Select.
The floodgates opened, which led to an invite to the NBA Players Camp earlier this month in Charlottesville, Va., and the Nike Skills Academy.
“I learned a lot here,” Turner said. “Nike does it right. They bring in pro coaches and you learn from the best. I’m usually a pick-and-pop player but I was taught how to play the post and the pick-and-roll and proper spacing. In high school, it’s such a confined court but here you learn how to execute it properly. Playing against top competition is great. You have to embrace it.”
Recruiting has picked up. Most recently Duke, Louisville and Kentucky are interested. Turner said, he’d likely visit some of the “local schools like Baylor.”
At the Skills Academy, Turner absorbed the NBA sets, played against the “unguardable” Kyrie Irving of the Cavaliers and embraced the opportunity to go against 2012 lottery pick Anthony Davis of the Bobcats (soon to be renamed Hornets).
As for the next giant steps, Turner admits he needs to polish his post moves and overall strength. He’ll choose a college that preaches education, family (he’d like a school in close proximity to his parents—but that’s negotiable) and prepare him for the NBA.
“I’ve become more confidence this spring and playing with an aggressiveness. I’ve always been passive but have learned to overcome it. I now have NBA aspirations but have to develop my skills to reach my goal,” he said.
