NBA star Myles Turner stays connected with community with camp

Myles Turner has always said he wanted to give back to his community.

Now he’s ready to do it.

Turner, who just completed his rookie NBA season with the Indiana Pacers, is returning home to host a basketball camp on Aug. 11-12.

The Myles Turner Basketball camp is for participants ages 6-17 and will be held at Euless Trinity High School. Turner graduated from Trinity in 2014. He was a five-star recruit before going to play one year at the University of Texas.

The camp will be from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. both days with registration starting at 8 a.m. Price is $100 with lunch and pictures with Turner included. Campers can also register online at mylesturnercamps.com or visit mylesturnerhoops.com for more details.

“I’m excited for this camp. When I was younger, I was apart of the higher goals program and when I joined, I always wanted to do something similar and give back to my community,” Turner said. “It’s special to have this event and I’m doing everything to get the word out. From telling the local residents to putting up posters at stores like the local Wal-Marts, and just doing my hardest to get on social media and tell as much people as possible. I plan on being there and being a huge part of it.”

This will be Turner’s first camp – saying he’s just getting the foot in the door, in hopes to have something nationwide one day. He expects nearly 200 kids.

“Little more than 200 in my first year to get things kicked off and going,” he said. “Trying to teach life lessons – I wasn’t too far from their age so it’s fresh in my mind and I can relate as much as I can. I want to preach defensive and offensive fundamentals from as simple as making a left-handed layup. I want to touch base with everything, to be a better person and player, and things that apply to life as well.”

Turner graduated from Trinity in 2014, where he was five-star recruit before going to play one year at the University of Texas.

Coming back to his roots is an important part of his career.

“It’s a tight-knit community. I love the simplicity,” Turner said. “I’m going to heavily involved with this camp from interactions to answering questions, it’s going to real exciting.”

Turner will also be making an appearance at the two-day Dew NBA 3X – a nationwide, elite 3x3 basketball competition, being held Saturday and Sunday at The Bomb Factory, 2713 Canton Street, in Dallas. The games will be played from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. each day. In addition to the games, Turner is scheduled to make a guest appearance on Sunday from 2-3 p.m.

Turner wrapped up his first NBA season with the Pacers by being named to the All-Rookie second team. The 11th overall pick in the 2015 draft, Turner averaged 10.3 points and 5.5 rebounds per game while shooting 49.8 percent in 60 games and 30 starts.

Turner also averaged 10.3 points and 6.4 rebounds during Indiana’s seven-game first-round series with the Toronto Raptors.

“A lot of people have said I had a great rookie season, but I felt I had an OK year. I’m just looking to work hard, doing my own routine,” Turner said. “I’m working on everything like shooting, handles and dribbling. A lot of different principals, the list goes on and on, I just want to improve my body.”

This story was originally published July 29, 2016 at 11:27 AM with the headline "NBA star Myles Turner stays connected with community with camp."