Indiana Pacers center Myles Turner hosted his annual basketball camp from July 30-31st. For most players, hosting a basketball camp for the younger generation of players isn’t at the forefront of things to do during the offseason.
Myles Turner, however, takes pride in holding a camp with his name attached to it. To him, it is more than just putting your name on a T-shirt. It is about instilling values in younger players outside of basketball.
Myles Turner hosts an annual basketball camp for younger players in Dallas. Indiana Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle made an appearance.
I spoke with Myles over the weekend about the camp he hosted. Turner hosted this camp inside of what used to be former Pacer Jermaine Oneal’s practice facility. I asked Myles about what it meant to him to have a basketball camp with his name attached to it, and his response was about more than just basketball.
Myes is known to teach kids an important life lesson that not every kid knows how to do, and that is how to properly shake someone’s hand. With Myles Turner, you have to introduce yourself and where you’re from while giving him a firm handshake with eye contact. An essential standard for life outside of basketball can help a younger person grow comfortable in social situations.
Q: What does it mean to you to host a camp with your name attached to it?
"“Just being interactive with the kids man. I think it is very easy to put your name on a t-shirt and show up but when you’re actually in on the drills and competing with the kids riled them up and whatnot that’s probably the most rewarding part”."
Myles has a very active role inside his camp, which was nearly an all-day event with campers of all ages participating over the end of July weekend. He can be seen playing games with the kids, teaching in groups, and bringing energy wherever he walks.
Q: What core lessons do you preach to the young kids at your camp?
"“Just on and off the court stuff. I feel like on the court, especially with the younger kids, I am just preaching a lot of spacing and sharing the ball. It is very easy at a young age to put your head down and do whatever. (It’s about) playing the game the right way. Off the court, just being a professional in what you do. I have a little drill where I have everybody shake my hand, look me in the eye, and tell me exactly where they are from and it has to be done correctly. Just little life stuff like that. We talk about school and that is a big point of my camp as well and I try to advertise it as a back-to-school camp. With my high school kids, I want to see them compete and have fun with what they do”."
The confidence these kids gain when getting approval from Myles after a job well done must be a great feeling. Somebody you look up to in Myles Turner offering life advice would surely be a core memory at an early age.
You can also see the excitement on Turner’s face when providing these teachable moments to the campers. I know it is something he is proud of, and you can feel that energy when you see him in action as a mentor.
Here is a video of what that looks like at a Myles Turner kids camp:
https://twitter.com/BriAmaranthus/status/1553742178660368384?s=20&t=Lyg8E_CCf2Gr-fuVtjHAlg
"“Absolutely not! You got to instill that early that things aren’t easy or continuously try to block their shots and dunk on them and I feel like it is a character building thing. It definiately starts early at this age”."
I think this is a great mindset to have for Myles, and I think the campers truly enjoy seeing their favorite player blocking them time and time again. How could you not?
Defending this would not be an easy task:
https://twitter.com/GrantAfseth/status/1553850878012129280?s=20&t=Lyg8E_CCf2Gr-fuVtjHAlg
The 2x NBA Blocks leader certainly didn’t hold back on any campers, but two young ones managed to oust Turner in a one-on-one game. They were each rewarded $500. One camper managed to get a bounce to go his way on the rim, and the other got a shot off just outside of Turner’s reach – that is difficult to do.
This year’s camp was held in Dallas, the home of Myles Turner and his family. Indiana Pacers coach Rick Carlisle, who coached in Dallas for a decade, was present for a moment at Turner’s camp. Carlisle even offered his coaching to the kids while he was there.
It is pretty cool to know that Carlisle has that kind of relationship with Myles and his ties to Dallas certainly remain strong. This year’s camp is complete and now Turner can enjoy the last chunk of his offseason before training camp begins soon.
It was a busy summer for Myles, going overseas with the Brogdon Family Foundation to Tanzania and other places. Turner has always been one to give back and this was another example of that long list since he joined the NBA. His impact is felt not just in Indiana but across the globe.