Myles Turner is getting ready to trim his list.
To about 25 schools.
When you’re arguably the hottest prospect in America, you’ve got to start somewhere.
“The list is still pretty long,” his father, David Turner, a New York City native, told SNY.tv Sunday evening by phone from Dallas where his son attends Euless (Texas) Trinity.
“He has about 50 schools that are on the list. He plans to cut it in half this week. By the end of July we want to get it down to 10 or 12.”
David Turner and his wife will meet Wednesday with Myles and Texas Select director Shawn Williams to cut the list.
Kentucky, Louisville, Duke, North Carolina and Georgetown are some of the newer programs to call since the 6-foot-11 Turner exploded onto the scene at the NBPA Top Camp and then followed it up by starring earlier this week at the Nike Skills Academy at Kean University.
“He talked to [Georgetown coach] John Thompson [III] yesterday,” David Turner said.
“He did talk to Coach K again on Friday. I don’t think they offered. He said he was going to wait until July when he could finally see him.”
David has also spoken with Kentucky coach John Calipari, Louisville’s Rick Pitino and a North Carolina assistant.
“It’s just amazing,” David said. “When I talked to Coach Calipari, it’s humbling. Talking to Rick Pitino, he just won an NCAA title, it’s very humbling. I’m a basketball junkie myself. Just to know the level of people that are actually recruiting my son it’s very humbling.”
In addition to all the big dogs coming in recently, David said Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Houston, Arkansas, Arizona, Texas A&M and even UT-Arlington (the first to offer) had been in the mix for some time now.
“His mom and I would love him to stay local,” David said. “I’m very proud of Myles. He hasn’t settled for anything.
“High school is one thing, college is another, and the NBA is a whole other level. I see Myles as going to a school that’s going to offer him the best opportunity.”
The next couple of weeks will tell a lot.
After cutting the list later this week, Turner heads to the LeBron James Skills Academy in Las Vegas on Friday.
He will be at the Reebok Breakout Challenge in Philadelphia beginning July 10, and then they will cut the list later in July.
“Everything’s wide open,” his father said. “We’re going to get together on Wednesday and start knocking it down.”
