Of the 24 players participating in Wednesday’s McDonald’s All-American Game, only one is undecided on college.
That would be Myles Turner, the 7-footer from Trinity High School in Texas.
Turner is targeting a decision by mid- to late-April after he competes in the McDonald’s Game, the Nike Hoop Summit (April 12) and the Jordan Brand Classic (April 18).
“After the Jordan Brand Classic, I’m going to sit down with my family and do my best to set a date to commit,” he said Wednesday during the McDonald’s Game on ESPN.
Turner officially lists nine schools, his father recently told SNY.tv, but the perception is that it is a two-horse race between Kansas and Texas.
“It’s definitely a lot more open than [Kansas and Texas]” Turner said, according to Rustin Dodd of the Kansas City Star. “A lot of people assume that it’s just Kansas and Texas, because it’s close to home, it’s the Big 12. But I’m definitely looking at all my options. … I don’t even know where I’m going yet.”
Turner has taken official visits to Kansas, Texas, Ohio State, Oklahoma State and Duke, and unofficials to SMU and Texas A&M.
He may also try to visit Kentucky and/or Arizona if time permits, his father told SNY.tv.
One NBA scout in Chicago said he had heard that Turner was waiting for Kansas big man Joel Embiid to announce his plans for next season. If Embiid were to enter the NBA Draft, Turner could slide right in and play for coach Bill Self alongside fellow McDonald’s All-American CLiff Alexander.
But what if Embiid opts to return to campus?
“It wouldn’t rule them out initially,” Turner said, according to the Star. “But I’ve had talks with coach Self; he feels that if Jo comes back — he didn’t say (I would) ‘waste my time’, but he said I should really look other places.”
The Star also reported that both Alexander and fellow Kansas commit Kelly Oubre — who will replace Andrew Wiggins on the wing next year — are recruiting Turner to Kansas.
“It’d be nice to see him in KU blue,” Oubre said. “But if he doesn’t, I can’t be mad at him.”
“I told him: ‘Come be a Jayhawk,’ ” said Alexander, a 6-foot-9 power forward from Chicago. “Bill Self will get you ready.”
Texas, meantime, is the home-state-school, and his father said he liked the idea of being able to see his son play close to home.
Duke remains in play, with the Blue Devils pitching the idea of Turner playing alongside fellow big man Jahlil Okafor.
“I’m going to let it come to me when it comes,” Turner said, per the Star.
Photo: AP
