Myles Turner: I didn’t look up what Tanzania was like on Google. I didn’t look up what Africa was like. I didn’t really even ask for people’s opinions. I just wanted to go into it super clear-headed. For me personally, with all this, the wildness that goes on with the season and offseason trade talk, I wanted to put all that behind me. Get off social media for a bit. Turn my phone off and not talk to anybody in the Western world. I was able just to be completely in the present and completely in the moment. And that was the most rewarding part for me. This is my fifth offseason with trade rumors going on. ‘He’s going to land here; he’s going to do this. He going to do that.’ I am finally numb to it, in a sense. So that’s another thing that I was proud of myself for as well. I was able to immerse myself in the experience of Africa as opposed to my own personal life or my own selfish reasons.
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Marc J. Spears @MarcJSpears
Big man Myles Turner went to Tanzania, turned off cell phone to be in the moment and came back with a new life perspective and still a member of the #Pacers. Story in @andscape. #nba #africa bit.ly/3zqqkdd – 9:00 AM
Big man Myles Turner went to Tanzania, turned off cell phone to be in the moment and came back with a new life perspective and still a member of the #Pacers. Story in @andscape. #nba #africa bit.ly/3zqqkdd – 9:00 AM
More on this storyline
Myles Turner: My mentality was already just up and down with the dealing with the [foot] injury. Basically, that took me out for nearly half of last season. So, I was just yearning and looking for somewhere else to find some peace. And I feel like this trip was the perfect thing for it. I wasn’t necessarily using it for that, but that’s what it turned into. I’m very happy that I went, and I plan on going next couple of offseasons, too. I want to continue to make this a hopefully annual thing. -via Andscape / August 2, 2022
“(My favorite player) was definitely Kevin Durant growing up,” Myles Turner said. “He was one of the guy that obviously was at the University at Texas and I got to hoop with him when I went to the University just a random weekend playing pickup or whatnot. Stuff like that sticks with a kid. It definitely stuck with me, even to this day. So I know just coming out here and competing will stick with a lot of these kids out here.” -via Sports Illustrated / August 1, 2022
Turner, who has now faced Durant on numerous occasions throughout his career, said he reacted the way most fans would during his first interaction with the future Hall of Fame forward. “It was kind of nerve-racking, I was too nervous to talk to him,” Turner said. “My mom actually went up and grabbed him first and then I was kinda like forced to talk to him in a sense. It was actually at Oklahoma University, he was at a football game and we both just happened to be there at the same time. It was cool.” -via Sports Illustrated / August 1, 2022