National Basketball Association

2015 NBA Draft profile: Myles Turner

Published Jun. 21, 2015 10:00 a.m. ET

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Highly touted as one of the top prospects out of high school, Myles Turner remains an intriguing player with a versatile game currently in demand for big men in the NBA after completing one year in Kentucky and subsequently declaring for the NBA draft.

For one, he is a proven scorer from the outside and has displayed a nice shooting stroke for a player listed at 6-feet-11 and 240 pounds. He averaged 10.1 points, 6.5 rebounds and an impressive 2.6 blocks in 22.2 minutes per game as a freshman for the Longhorns. What makes his 45.5 field goal shooting percentage even more impactful is that he mixed up his offensive game and displayed a knack from being able to score from anywhere on the court, even showing some range beyond the arc.

Already he projects to be a solid rotational player even as a raw talent but with more seasoning, Turner has the potential to be one of the top big men in today's NBA where outside shooting is a hot commodity. The fact that he is a solid defender with plenty of room to improve makes him a solid bet to be a lottery pick and a player who can likely transition from role player to starter with the right system and training regimen.

PROS

Not only can Turner capably score, but he is a fierce rim protector which several teams in the draft will be looking for. He averaged an astounding 4.2 shots blocked per 36 minutes in his lone collegiate season and at just 19, he will continue to develop his body and conditioning and hone his natural instincts. 

With an enormous 7-feet-4 wingspan and 9-feet-4 standing reach, Turner is able to swat shots with ease and get his own shot off without any issue over just about any defender. His shooting skills will be highly valued if he can bring out his defender and open up the floor for his teammates, particularly if his team utilizes him in pick and roll situations where he can take advantage and roll to the rim or pick and pop for a midrange jumper.

As Cleveland Cavaliers center Timofey Mozgov proved in the NBA Finals, having a big man who can reliably knock down free throws is a huge advantage for any team and Turner's 84 percent shooting accuracy from the charity stripe will only further boost his scoring averages.

CONS

Turner's issues with his awkward running gait and large feet have been well documented because he struggles to move smoothly up and down the court and he does not possess explosive speed or hops. Turner and his agent insist it is a conditioning issue that will improve over time but it nevertheless might scare off some teams that won't want to strike out on a top draft pick in such a deep draft.

Because he is only 19, he has yet to grow fully into his body and could have degenerative issues down the line but it is a risk many teams seem eager to take. Only time will tell either way, but he will undoubtedly need to improve and work on his body through rigorous training and building more mass overall and upper body strength to compete against fellow big men.

PLAYER COMPARISON

Until he can put on more weight and muscle, Turner will likely be a stretch 4 in the NBA and players that come to mind with his skill set include Miami Heat star Chris Bosh, Larry Sanders (previously with the Milwaukee Bucks), LaMarcus Aldridge of the Portland Trail Blazers and even Anthony Davis of the New Orleans Pelicans.

FINAL THOUGHT

A team armed with a lottery pick in search of a big man will be tempted to pick Turner because of his excellent size and polished offensive game for such a young player. He already has displayed solid court awareness and instincts which will only improve over time and he has the work ethic to get better. 

Turner can score from the inside, by posting up his defender and also pulling up and shooting from the midrange and even from 3-point territory. The fact that he is a terrific shot blocker and rebounder with room to improve only adds to his potential as a solid NBA big man. 

Bottom line, he is one of the sleepers in the draft that perhaps didn't showcase everything in his arsenal with Texas but his skill set appears to translate well in the pro game.

You can follow Surya Fernandez on Twitter @SuryaHeatNBA or email him at SuryaFoxSports@gmail.com .

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