Myles Turner
Position: PF
Height/Weight: 6-11/240
School: Texas
Despite being one of the youngest players in the NBA draft (he just turned 19 in March), Myles Turner has something a number of frontcourt prospects only wish they had entering the league: a quality face-up game.
In his lone season at Texas, Turner showed the ability to square up defenders when facing the basket and consistently knock down a jump shot.
That fits right into the mold of a quintessential stretch four in today’s NBA. And with Turner still growing into his game and his body, he’s only beginning to scratch the surface of what he could be at the next level.
Strengths
Even at 6-11 and with a 7-4 wingspan, Turner doesn’t let that confine him to the low post. The former Longhorns big man found most of his success offensively on the perimeter with range that extended to the three-point line at times.
His jump shooting should instantly make Turner a serious weapon in the pick-and-roll/pick-and-pop-driven NBA. Plus, he can use that superior length to get his shot off over opponents at the rim where he displayed nice touch and a wide array of moves for such a young player.
The arsenal of post moves is just part of Turner’s high basketball IQ. He has a good feel for the game, knowing when to attack and when to make the right play for teammates.
NBA
That’s not to say Turner is afraid to get a little dirty. He grabbed 6.5 rebounds a game at Texas while playing a lot on the perimeter on offense and stretches of zone on defense.
Speaking of defense, Turner is no slouch on that side of the ball. His size and great instincts allowed him to swat 2.6 shots a game.
Weaknesses
Like a number of jump shooters, Turner can tend to fall in love with that aspect of his game even when the ball isn’t going through the net. Look no further than his three-point shooting for evidence of that.
While Turner flashed the ability to make threes, particularly early in the season, the numbers indicated he should have eased up on firing from deep. He shot just 27.4 percent from three-point range on 1.8 attempts a night, a high number of tries for a big man. That included a six-game stretch late in the season in which Turner went 0 for 9 from deep.
Turner’s touch from distance wasn’t the only thing that went during the latter half of the season. He seemed to wear down as the year went on. Despite averaging 10.1 points a game, Turner failed to score in double figures in his last five games and seven of the last 10. He has to get stronger and work on his endurance to survive an 82-game schedule.
With all that said, Turner’s biggest weakness may have nothing to do with basketball. The Houston native has an awkward running style that has caused some pundits to question whether he could have health issues down the line.
Turner runs with a choppy gait that can appear like he’s even limping at times. The prospect’s camp recently had a host of tests conducted, detailed by DraftExpress.com, that revealed Turner has a severe weakness in his left and right gluteus medius, which helps to control balance in the lower body. While correctable, it’s something teams will have to consider.
How he’d fit with Sixers
Until Dario Saric eventually joins the club, the Sixers are sorely lacking in a frontcourt player with the ability to stretch a defense. Turner’s skill set would give the Sixers a different look offensively and better spacing for Nerlens Noel and Joel Embiid to operate in the paint. Not to mention it would provide the team with yet another roadblock at the rim.
NBA comparison
The Kevin Garnett chatter is out there. That’s a pretty lofty comparison. Plus, Turner doesn’t have nearly the athleticism Garnett displayed for a big chunk of his career before becoming primarily a jump shooter. I’ll go with Al Horford of Atlanta. Turner prefers to operate in the midrange but can still do damage in the post and block some shots thanks to his length in a similar fashion to the Hawks’ All-Star big man.
Draft projection
Lottery. Turner could make his way into the top 10, but look for him to go just outside of that on draft night in the 11-13 range.