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Kentucky's K.T. Turner embraces new recruiting freedom, Texas ties

Jack PIlgrimby:Jack Pilgrim06/16/22
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(Photo: Icon Sportswire/Getty Images)

New Kentucky assistant K.T. Turner has earned a reputation in college basketball for two things over the course of his 17 years as a coach: player development and recruiting, specifically raking in the state of Texas.

Now in Lexington at the University of Kentucky, there’s a freedom in both areas that he simply hasn’t had anywhere else as a coach.

Turner previously served as the associate head coach at Oklahoma, Texas and SMU, while also making stops as an assistant at Wichita State (2012-13), Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (2011-12), Hutchinson Community College (2009-11), Cowley College (2008-09), Redlands Community College (2006-07) and Panola Community College (2005-06).

Calipari finds his guy

Moving up the coaching ladder from unknown community colleges to high-major Division I programs, Turner comes highly recommended. John Calipari immediately singled out the 44-year-old coach as “our next guy” as soon as Jai Lucas left for Duke.

“My experience,” Turner said of where his overwhelmingly positive reputation came from. “I’ve been coaching for 17 years, been to Final Fours, been on great teams and coached great players. That’s what I think, my resume.”

Player development

Players aren’t born great, they become great with hard work and coaching. Known in the basketball world as a player development guru of sorts, Turner’s got the latter part down. He studies the game and has for years, passing off that knowledge to his players at every stop. It’s a passion he’s excited to bring with him to Lexington, a program that regularly rakes in five-star talent and the best the transfer portal has to offer.

“Growing up, I played a lot of basketball,” said Turner. “Going back to my dad, watching him, watching other coaches, I was around (Oregon head coach) Dana Altman a lot. Being in the gym, working out myself, learning different things, passing on what I know to guys now. I study it, I love doing it, love to see guys get better, no matter if they’re the No. 1 player in the country or barely on the team. I love working with guys and getting guys better.”

Recruiting ties in Texas

Player development is only half the battle, a fraction of the value Turner brings to the table. He’s also a standout recruiter with deep ties to the state of Texas.

“The relationship piece,” Turner said of his passion for recruiting. “I love building relationships with guys and their families. I’m huge on that. When they come, it’s a lifetime relationship. Even sometimes guys I don’t get, we stay in contact when they’re done playing and try to help out anytime I can. I’m a huge relationships guy.”

Why Texas? Well for one, there’s talent there, and a lot of it. With high-major prospects coming out of the state every year, Turner has taken it upon himself to capitalize on his connections there and bring many of them in at his various stops.

Luckily for the new Kentucky assistant, those from the area also like the Wildcats. Quite a bit, actually.

“The reputation is that kids in Texas, they love Kentucky,” said Turner. “The Tyrese Maxeys, Julius Randles, they love those guys, De’Aaron Fox. It’s a big thing in Texas. Texas is such a big state with so many talented players there, it’s become a hotbed for college basketball recruiting. A ton of talent. My son plays down there, and it starts at an early age with leagues and stuff. Basketball has become huge in Texas. It’s not just a football state anymore.”

Finally coaching Cason Wallace and Daimion Collins

He has two five-star signees from Texas on this Kentucky roster alone, with guard Cason Wallace joining the team this offseason and forward Daimion Collins returning for his sophomore campaign. Two consensus top-20 prospects, both previously recruited by Turner.

“Yeah, it’s funny. (I recruited) Cason Wallace and Daimion Collins,” said Turner. “Cason’s dad calls me — when I was at Texas, I was recruiting Texas, and he goes, ‘Hey man, you better keep your words that you’re gonna take care of my boy! We’ll see if you stand up to that!’ (laughs) But yeah, Cason and Daimion, I recruited.”

Wallace was a player he’s wanted to coach since he emerged as a blue-chip prospect in the class of 2022. Now at Kentucky, Turner has that opportunity.

“He’s an unbelievably hard worker, an unbelievable leader,” Turner said of Wallace. “I remember going to watch him in practice, the way he led the guys, he’s a worker and he’s a grinder. Unbelievable kid and a heck of a basketball player. He’s going to continue to get better with the way he works.”

As for Collins, the difference is night and day from the time Turner recruited him out of Atlanta, Texas — a town with just 5,500 people as of 2020 — in the class of 2021.

“He was from a little small town, super small town,” Turner said of Collins. “He’s gotten a lot better since I last saw him, he’s working. It’s hard when you’re coming from a small town like that to jump into this level of basketball. From what I’ve been told by the staff, he’s been working and learning. I’m really impressed with how much better he’s gotten since I’ve seen him last.”

Recruiting freedom in Lexington

Now at Kentucky, Turner will be able to land players like Wallace, Collins and the never-ending list of Texas talent that has come through Lexington in recent years. There’s a clear pipeline that he’s thrilled to take advantage of.

At previous stops, he felt he wasn’t able to use his long list of contacts and connections to pull in the best of the best. In Lexington, though, his restrictions have been lifted. He can now start at the very top of the recruiting rankings and work his way down, a freedom he’s grateful to now have.

“One thing I’ll tell you, I can use every contact in my phone now,” said Turner. “At other schools, it might be the No. 1 or No. 2 player in the country and you’re like, ‘I’m probably not getting him.’ I feel like I can use every contact in my phone right now, and I’ve got plenty of them.”

What will he be looking for on the recruiting trail as Kentucky’s newest assistant coach?

“Skill level, size, and personally, toughness — I like tough players,” said Turner. “Nowadays, you have to have a skillset, you have to be able to make shots. That’s what I usually look for.”

Conveniently enough, recruiting restrictions were lifted with prospects in the 2024 class on Wednesday, with college coaches now allowed to contact rising juniors directly. Kentucky extended four scholarship offers on day one, the most since John Calipari arrived in Lexington, along with reaching out to over a dozen prospects.

Of the four recruits to receive an offer? Five-star junior Tre Johnson, a native of — you guessed it — Dallas, Texas, who plays on the Nike EYBL circuit for Team Griffin, Daimion Collins’ former grassroots program.

One week on the job, and Turner’s Rolodex is coming in handy.

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