Jun 25, 2015; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Myles Turner (Texas) greets NBA commissioner Adam Silver after being selected as the number eleven overall pick to the Indiana Pacers in the first round of the 2015 NBA Draft at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

In an exclusive interview we find out why Myles Turner is the perfect fit for the Indiana Pacers

When the Indiana Pacers selected Myles Turner with the 11th pick in the NBA draft this summer the reactions were mixed. Many had concerns about his awkward running gait and lack of progress at the University of Texas. Others questioned why a Pacers team that wanted to go smaller and faster would draft a center with running issues.

Those critics were quickly silenced by Turner’s stellar performance in the Orlando Summer League. His averages of 18.7 ppg, 8.3 rpg, and 4.3 bpg on 61% shooting raised eyebrows and had fans thinking Turner would be ready to start in the middle in game one. But he knows his numbers in Orlando mean little in terms of reaching the ambitious goals he has for his career.

Myles Turner grew up idolizing Kevin Durant for his on- and off-court personality. He loved KD’s “swagger and humility” and has taken those attributes to heart.

Myles Turner grew up idolizing Kevin Durant for his on- and off-court personality. He loved KD’s “swagger and humility” and has taken those attributes to heart. The humility was on display when it took him until his first summer league game to truly realize he had achieved his lifelong dream of becoming a pro basketball player. “I was out there in Orlando on the floor,” he said, “and I had a moment where I was like, ‘I’m here now. I’m wearing an NBA jersey. Like, I’m out here playing against NBA players.’ That was my first ‘Aha’ moment.”

Another rookie milestone was seeing his new NBA 2K16 screen shot. As an unproven first-year player, he only got a 73 overall rating, but he’s taking that in stride. “I was happy I wasn’t in the 60s,” said Turner. “You know, that was my biggest thing. Everybody has to start somewhere, and I have a pretty good launchpad to start from. I’ll see what I can do to improve it.”

Such perspective reflects Turner’s mentality to blend his competitiveness with optimism. This is one thing that clearly sticks out about the Pacers newest center. Like Durant, Turner is positive and polite, but he also clearly has a fire within that pushes him to become better everyday.

The Versatile Defender

Myles Turner spent a lot of time this summer working on what he already considers the most underrated aspect of his game is his perimeter defense. “Everybody knows I can block shots,” said Turner. “But I feel like I am pretty good at staying in front of people on the perimeter. That is something I have worked on a lot this summer.”

“Everybody knows I can block shots. But I feel like I am pretty good at staying in front of people on the perimeter. That is something I have worked on a lot this summer.” – Myles Turner

This should excite many fans. In a modern NBA, where small-ball squads like the Golden State Warriors are winning rings, having big men who can step out on the perimeter defensively is vital. If your big man cannot defend in space, there could be a ceiling to how good your team can be. A mediocre Atlanta Hawks team, for example, was able to turn the lumbering Roy Hibbert into a liability in the 2014 playoffs and nearly knock off the top-seeded Pacers.

Turner isn’t worried about his ability to conform in a small ball league.

”I feel like I fit in just fine,” said Turner. “With my ability to shoot the ball, my ability to stretch out the defense, my ability to go out there and make an impact on and off the ball, I think I am ready for that next level.”

With the reputation of Indiana and head coach Frank Vogel, Turner says he is thrilled to learn under such a great defensive mind. It will help improve his rim-protection ability and ability to defend the pick and roll.

Stretch Goals

Turner has also been working on his range this summer, even adjusting to the NBA 3-point line. With versatility being such a key in today’s game, a 7-foot, shot-blocking 3-point threat sounds quite intriguing.

With so much work put in this summer, he is now eager to get his rookie season underway. Always the top dog in the past, he expects the rookie hazing to start quickly. “I have heard some stories, but I don’t really know what to expect,” he said.

“I want it all. I want to be Rookie of the Year, I want to make the All-Star team, I want to get to playoffs, and I want to make a deep run.” – Myles Turner

His goals fall under two categories: short-term and long-term. First comes solidifying his place on the team and and ensuring he has a role in the rotation. He does not want to ride the bench like a lot of rookies have to.

“I want it all,” said Turner. “I want to be Rookie of the Year, I want to make the All-Star team, I want to get to playoffs, and I want to make a deep run. I mean there’s a lot of stuff…but I need to focus on the short-term right now.”

With that comment you can see that fiery competitive side emerging even more. Those goals are lofty for sure — but with his drive they could very well be achievable.

He knows his new teammates will help push him as well, especially Paul George, who he watched from afar go through a horrible injury and battle on a road to recovery. “Man, when I saw that it was a little gruesome — similar to the Kevin Ware injury in a way,” said Turner. “To be honest with you, it sucks that had to happen to him because he was just on the up and up. But, I mean, his mindset has totally changed, and his mindset is incredible. He’s just out there grinding every day, and he’s looking good. I am really excited to play with a great veteran like him.”

Time for Family

Even with all the training, Turner isn’t used to having such little structure in his life now that he is no longer a student for the first time. “It is kind of crazy the amount of time you have to yourself,” he said.

So what’s the average day like for Turner? He normally wakes up around 8:00 am and gets to the gym around 9:00 am. From there he works on weight training, conditioning, and plays some pick-up games until around 1:00 pm. Then, without the typical pressures of a 19-year-old (homework and studying), he has ample time to relax and make sure his body gets enough rest. He sometimes also heads back to the gym later to get up some shots.

With his extra time he is also able to spend time with his family.

Turner has a great relationship with both of his parents as well as his younger sister Mya. He speaks fondly of how hard his family worked in order to get him into his current position. Their values and lessons of hard work were instilled in him from an early age, and he attributes a lot of his success to that. He shows a great care for his relationship with his family and has done so even before his freshman year at Texas.

His new jersey number, 33, also speaks to his roots. This was the number he wore for most of middle school and high school. He had previously worn number 52 to honor one of his best friends, Habram Rosario, that passed away in middle school from leukemia. He says when he wore 33 when he was the most successful in his career, so he is taking it back there.

A Helping Hand

Myles Turner has already done a lot of work off the court this summer in Indiana, too. He is making his presence felt in the community by working with the Make-A-Wish Foundation to brighten the day of 13-year-old Cody Bevelhimer, donating to the Peyton Manning Children’s Hospital, and throwing out the his first pitch at an Indianapolis Indians game.

The 19-year-old rookie took time out of his busy schedule to answer some questions about why he is truly a great fit for the city of Indianapolis.

“I am passionate about helping kids have more ambition than being a professional athlete. Not everyone is going to be a professional athlete. Not everyone is as fortunate as me.” – Myles Turner

The first thing that you notice when speaking to Turner is just how polite he is. He is accessible and shows great care in his choice of words. When talking about why charity work is so important to him you get a slight clue to why he comes off that way.

“The neighborhood I came from was an up and coming neighborhood and children were really encouraged to go to school,” said Turner. “I am passionate about helping kids have more ambition than being a professional athlete. Not everyone is going to be a professional athlete. Not everyone is as fortunate as me, to be in the position I’m in. If I can spread what I am doing and help others achieve their dreams that is pretty cool.”

His passion for helping children clearly comes through and his desire to help others have the upbringing he had seems to be foremost on his mind. His maturity at such a young age is something that truly sticks out, and he has a clear vision about how he hopes fans in Indiana will view him. “I am a blue-collar dude when it comes to work on and off the court,” said Turner. “I don’t like it being in the whole public eye of things for the stuff I do. I like doing things for the Make-A-Wish Foundation, but I like those things to be low-key. That is just my personality. I am not into the whole limelight of things. I am here just to do my job and get stuff accomplished.”

That is something all Pacers fans should be excited about. Not only does he mention half of the blue-collar gold swagger moniker, but he seems to live it daily. He even has his own charity corporation, but likes to keep it out of the limelight.

Stitches and Pitches

Turner also started his own clothing line this summer, teaming up with the Starkey Hearing Foundation, a foundation that helps children hear for the first time. He knows attention will come inevitably due to his profession, but he will attempt to deflect that the best he can.

In all areas of his life he seems to enjoy a relaxed out of the spotlight approach. A self-professed Netflix binge watcher and video gamer, he enjoys relaxing when not working on his craft. He likes to “chill at my apartment” and prefers a quiet night in. He has already sought out his favorite cuisine from a few places in Indianapolis: soul food. “I got to get it in before the season starts,” he said.

“I am a blue-collar dude when it comes to work on and off the court … I am not into the whole limelight of things. I am here just to do my job and get stuff accomplished.” – Myles Turner

The fan passion in the area has been another big plus for him since joining the Pacers. “I went to an Indiana Fever game, and at a lot of girl’s basketball games you don’t see many fans,” said Turner. “But they had 10,000-plus fans when I went. The fans all over the city are knowledgeable about basketball.”

On top of finding new food spots and fan passion, he has another love in Indianapolis: The traffic is “much better than Texas,” and he adores the ability to get around relatively easily. He also enjoys how easy it is to travel around downtown, something that made it simple to get to Victory Field for his ceremonial pitch. But while the roads were free of congestion, his admits his mind wasn’t.

Nerves led to the pitch being “a little rocky,” which he also credits to not having the chance to warm up. The pitch sailed high — and he knew it as soon as he released the ball. It wasn’t too bad, though, and he was mostly just relieved he did not have a first pitch like 50 Cent. “I have always seen celebrities throw out the first pitch, and it always something I wanted to do,” said Turner. “I have not pitched for a long time, and I wanted to make sure I did not embarrass myself and pop up on the list of terrible first pitches.”

A Name to Remember

Three years ago, Myles Turner was not even on the majority of college’s radar. Before his growth spurt he was not even in the top 100 players in the nation. Finally, after his growth spurt he became a late bloomer and had a monster senior season in route to becoming the second-ranked recruit in the nation (behind Jahlil Okafor). He is no stranger to surprising people, and it doesn’t really seem to matter to him what people are saying.

His on the court abilities speak for themselves. He is a gifted athlete and appears to be a steal at the 11-spot in the draft. His star potential is undeniable. His combination of defensive excellence and offensive versatility are enough to get a fan base excited. And his dedication to improve is what makes that enthusiasm level shoot through the roof.

The Roy Hibbert era was over in Indiana, that was painfully obvious. There is no better player to start anew with than Turner. He could easily turn into the steal of the draft and with his constant focus on improving his game, he could be a cornerstone in the halls of Bankers Life Fieldhouse for some time.

He believes he can be special. But more than anything, he just hopes his new teammates appreciate what he brings to the franchise. He is very clear about how he wants to be viewed at the end of his career. With an introspective tone, Myles Turner shared what he hopes others will say about him when it is all said and done.

“That dude right there was a great teammate. That he was a great teammate,” repeated Turner. “No matter what the circumstances were, he always had a positive mindset or outlook towards everything.”