Myles Turner Poised for Breakout Year

Throughout Team USA’s recent training camp in Las Vegas, Paul George noticed that many of the NBA stars in attendance were impressed with his Indiana Pacers teammate Myles Turner, who was on Team USA’s Select Team.

“Myles looked really good,” George told Nate Taylor of the Indy Star. “I think the whole talk around that camp was, ‘Man, you got a good one.’ That’s coming from all the guys on the Olympic team. Everybody was just raving of how good Myles is. … He’s got the respect. He’s earned it from the veterans and he’s going to be good. He’s one of the best up-and-coming talents in the league.”

Turner played very well against some of league’s best players – even swatting one of George’s lay-up attempts out of bounds. In addition to receiving praise from fellow players, a number of the reporters in attendance spoke highly of his performance – with Marc Spears of ESPN going so far as to say that Turner looked like he belonged on the actual USA Basketball roster as opposed to the Select Team.

In addition to receiving excellent guidance from legendary coaches like Mike Krzyzewski and Gregg Popovich (who’s coaching the Select Team), he’s getting the chance to work out and play against talented big men like DeMarcus Cousins and DeAndre Jordan as well as stars like Kevin Durant, Carmelo Anthony, Kyrie Irving, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green and Jimmy Butler among others.

This comes after a very impressive rookie season in which the 11th overall pick in last year’s draft averaged 10.3 points, 5.5 rebounds and 1.4 blocks in 22.8 minutes. Turner fared well compared to his first-year peers, ranking seventh among all rookies in points per game, fifth in rebounds per game, third in blocks per game and sixth in double-doubles on his way to making the All-Rookie Second Team. Oh, and he just turned 20 years old in late March.

In the postseason, there were stretches where he dominated. In the Pacers’ first-round series against the Toronto Raptors, Turner averaged 10.3 points, 6.4 rebounds and 3.3 blocks in 28.1 minutes. He was a monster in the paint, finishing every game with multiple blocks and totaling 23 rejections in the series (plus many more altered shots). If Turner had any nerves about playing on basketball’s biggest stage for the first time, they didn’t show. In his debut playoff game, he had 10 points, five rebounds and five blocks in the Pacers’ upset victory over the Raptors. Two games later, he recorded 17 points, eight rebounds and three blocks. In Games 5 and 6, he totaled 29 points, 17 rebounds and seven blocks while shooting 61.9 percent from the field.

Pacers president Larry Bird has said that Turner’s “talent is off the charts” and it’s hard to disagree based on his recent production with Indiana and Team USA.

Basketball Insiders recently chatted with Turner about his rookie season, playoff debut, Team USA experience, Indiana’s recent moves, expectations for next year and more.

Alex Kennedy: First of all, how nice was it not having to go through the draft process this year? I know most guys hate doing that, and you were put under the microscope last year. Is it nice knowing you never have to do that again?

Turner: “It’s super nice. You can actually settle in to a normal summer process and focus on getting better, and not have to worry about where you’ll end up, what city you’ll be in, what the coaches are thinking and all of that. You’re really just working for yourself now, and it feels great.”

Kennedy: How much do you feel you learned from your time with the Team USA Select Team?

Turner: “I feel like I’ve made huge strides because that pace is so much faster than what people think. I mean, you see them beating up on these foreign teams and now I can definitely see why teams struggle against them. You have to make plays a lot faster and you have to make reads a lot faster, so I feel like that was really good for me.”

Kennedy: A lot of guys have had breakout seasons after participating with the Select Team because they expand their game, get great coaching and their confidence is way up. Can you envision that happening for you and having this translate into the season?

Turner: “Yeah, definitely. I’m looking forward to making a big jump forward next year. I know I did some good things last year and I want to build off of that. I think this experience was really good for me. It’s one of a kind. I was blessed and fortunate to be chosen and to have this experience.”

Kennedy: Gregg Popovich is coaching the Select Team. What was it like being coached by him?

Turner: “Man, it was great. Coach Popovich is a really cool dude. I don’t think the media gets to see his real personality and the side of him that he shows when he’s coaching players. But I definitely see why he’s considered one of the best. He’s an awesome guy, with a great personality, and he’s really all about getting better. Overall, my experience was great.”

Kennedy: When we talked back in April, you told me DeMarcus Cousins was the toughest center you had guarded. What’s it like being able to play with him and learn from him in this Team USA setting?

Turner: “I feel like I really held my own this time. I definitely was a lot better guarding him this time than I was during the season when I played him (laughs). It was cool to see how he uses his body and uses his footwork to get around other people. I always see it on TV and see what he does, but to see it in person, it’s definitely one of a kind. But yeah, I definitely feel like I did a lot better this time.”

Kennedy: How much are you taking from the other stars there too? Obviously there’s some skill stuff, but then also things like work ethic, preparation and seeing how they handle specific things. Are there things like that you can learn from the Select Team experience?

Turner: “Yeah, that’s huge. Their work ethic, like you said, stands out. The coaches were actually trying to get them to relax and chill because they have all of these scrimmages, but they were the ones who always wanted to work. They were getting up extra shots after practice, they scrimmaged against us one time and you can just tell that they love playing the game. With all of those guys, they don’t ever truly feel like they ‘made it.’ They really continue to work on their game and keep learning and are true students of the game. It’s [motivating] to see that from people who are at the superstar status.”

Kennedy: Which other players from the Select Team impressed you the most?

Turner: I like [Milwaukee Bucks draft pick] Malcolm Brogdon out of Virginia. He really impressed me. We were playing a lot of one-on-one and he’s a very capable player. He can use both of his hands, he can shoot it, has a good handle on the ball and he’s athletic. I watched college basketball this year, but I didn’t really get to see Virginia play a lot, but I can see why people were high on him. I really like his game. I know everyone else from my class. D’Angelo Russell did well. Stanley Johnson did well. I knew they were going to do well. Oh, and I had never really seen Brandon Ingram play in an NBA setting or whatever. I saw him play at Summer League and I saw him play at Duke, but I like his game too. Once he starts adding more strength to his game, he’s going to fill out nicely.”

Kennedy: From your first NBA game to your final postseason game, how much did you improve as a player?

Turner: “Oh wow, drastically. Dramatically. It’s so crazy how the improvement process goes because you don’t really improve body-wise or things like that. The game just starts to slow down for you and once that happens, everything is so much easier. When I came back from my injury midseason, I was able to take a step back and really see everything for what it was. I definitely got a lot better in the post, making defensive rotations, seeing plays before they happen. I dramatically improved over the course of the season.”

Kennedy: How would you describe your first playoff experience? And how can you build off of that momentum because you played really, really well in that series.

Turner: “I appreciate that, man. It’s definitely a lot different. The game is fast in the regular season, but in the postseason the game is a lot faster. The crowd is more into it. Every possession matters and it’s a nail-biter every other play. Really, in our series, things didn’t get interesting until the last couple games because the early games were blowouts – either they blew us out or we blew them out. But overall, it was a lot different and I can’t even describe the atmosphere. In Toronto, the atmosphere was unbelievable because that whole country was behind them. It was an incredible experience, and I see why people crave it and are determined to get back there and get further. I really enjoyed my playoff experience. The first game, I definitely had some jitters, but after that I was fine.”

Kennedy: You had multiple blocks in every postseason game and averaged 3.3 rejections per game in the series. What’s that feeling like – knowing that everyone is aware of your presence and, to some extent, intimidated to come in the paint?

Turner: “It only builds my confidence. And once I get going defensively, I feel like I only do better offensively and the game flows more naturally for me. Being able to establish that kind of presence early and have my team be able to rely on me if they get beat and their guy gets to the rim, that’s good for everybody’s confidence too because they know I can help back there. But yeah, it’s just huge for my individual confidence – being able to, I guess, demand that respect.”

Kennedy: You turned 20 years old in March. Do you ever think about how surreal it is that you’re repping Team USA as one of the youngest guys there, putting up monster numbers in the playoffs, earning All-Rookie Second Team honors? Does it ever feel surreal how quickly this has all happened?

Turner: “Definitely, man. I was just sitting and talking about it with one of my friends the other day when I was back home. It’s just amazing to see how far I’ve come in such a short period of time, but also how much further I have to go. Me and my dad have talked about this too: I see some players who come into the league, get all of this hype and then they start to fizzle out and stop working. I’m never going to be that type of player. My work ethic is a lot of stronger than that and I’m very driven right now. I’m really looking forward to what’s to come over these next couple of years.”

Kennedy: One question kept coming up from Pacers fans: Because you are just 20 years old, what do you think your ceiling is? When you reach your prime, what kind of player do you see yourself being?

Turner: “I can see myself being a very dominant player in this league one day – and one day soon. I mean, I don’t know what my ceiling is. With my work ethic and my drive, I feel like there is no ceiling. I can always improve and get better at all facets of the game. Like I was saying, guys like KD and Draymond and everyone on Team USA, they’re upper-echelon players but they’re constantly striving for more and striving for more. I want to put myself in that same category as far as that mindset.”

Kennedy: How is Indiana? What has it been like adjusting to the city and living there throughout your first year in the league?

Turner: “I love it down here, man. It’s good because it’s a city that’s not really flashy, it’s really blue-collar. I like that because I can just stay on my grind and work on my game and not worry about any distractions. It’s good for me because I can have my family come out here, support me and watch some of my games. It’s just a great city all around, man. Everybody loves basketball. I’m from Texas, where football is king, so it’s nice to be in a city that really appreciates basketball at every level. People love the Pacers, people love the Hoosiers, people love high school basketball. It’s really cool to be part of that environment. I’m really excited and blessed to be part of such a great organization as well.”

Kennedy: This has been a busy offseason for you guys. What do you think of the additions of Jeff Teague, Thaddeus Young and Al Jefferson, and how they fit with the current squad?

Turner: “I love those moves. I think Jeff is a very aggressive point guard and one that we need to make plays for us. With Big Al, his footwork is impeccable and I’ve watched him play over the years and he’s an incredible player. Thad brings a lot of energy. He’s that ‘do-the-dirty-work’ kind of player that we need, but he’s also more than that because he’s skilled at what he does. I’m curious to see how we’re going to fit together. I also like Jeremy Evans and Aaron Brooks too. Jeremy has always been a good athletic, energy guy. And Aaron, he was one of the toughest point guards I had to guard last year. He didn’t play a lot when we played them, but when he did, some of the plays he made were crazy. He’d finish around the rim and it’s just like, ‘Wait, how did he do that?’ I really love all of the moves.”

Kennedy: You and Big Al have different skill sets, but he’s obviously had a lot of success in this league. Have you guys talked at all yet and are you looking forward to picking his brain?

Turner: “I haven’t talked to him yet, but I love how poised he is. I can learn patience from him and I want to be able to read the game the way he does. And obviously I can learn a lot from him in the post and some of the things that he does with his touches. He’s a veteran who has been in the league for awhile too, so I’m sure he can teach me some off-the-court stuff as well. I think getting him is a great look for the organization and I’m excited to partner with him.”

Kennedy: Nate McMillan will take over for Frank Vogel as head coach, obviously. What changes do you envision and what’s your relationship with Coach McMillan like?

Turner: “Me and Coach Mac are tight. We talked a lot last year during my rookie season. I’m glad that, if we did have to make an adjustment, it was with a familiar face. I’m definitely going to miss Coach Vogel; I’m indebted to him because he gave me a chance in my rookie year to go out there and play and make the most of my opportunities. With Coach McMillan, I feel like we’re going to make some changes on offense. We’re still going to be a hard-nosed, defensive team, but we’re going to run. With the group that we have, I feel like we’re going to be able to get up and down the court rather quickly. He wants to see a change of pace.”

Kennedy: What are your expectations for next season – as a team and then also individually?

Turner: “As a team, we want to finish top three in the East and I feel like we’re very capable of doing so. On paper, we’re very talented, but it’s about how we put stuff together. I do feel like the East will be a lot stronger next year with some of the moves that have been made in our conference, but I feel like we can go out there and get the job done and finish in the top three. That’s the goal, and then we want to go make a deep playoff run. And obviously, we’re all chasing rings and that’s a big goal of mine. I don’t see why we can’t do it next year. I know that ‘sounds good’ and anybody can just say that, but I’m a very confident player and with that confidence comes ambition. Individually, I feel like I can put up big numbers for this team and help in any way necessary. I’d like to see myself put up 15 to 20 points per game. That may seem like a long shot, but I feel like I’m very capable.”