Rick Carlisle on Indiana Pacers center Myles Turner: 'I think he's just a special player and a very special individual'
Indiana Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle is currently traveling all over the USA to keep up with his players at their basketball camps.
In late July, he was in Charleston, South Carolina to be a part of Aaron Nesmith's basketball camp. Nesmith attended high school in the area, and Carlisle stopped by to help out both with Nesmith's workouts and his camp, per pictures posted by the team on social media.
More recently, Carlisle was in Dallas to join Myles Turner at his camp. It was held in Dallas, the city in which Turner grew up, at Drive Nation Sports. Fittingly, Drive Nation Sports was founded by former Pacers big man Jermaine O'Neal.
Grant Afseth of DallasBasketball was able to catch up with Carlisle at Turner's camp. Carlisle had a lot to say about the Dallas Mavericks, the team he coached for over a decade. But he also fielded questions about Turner and the Pacers offseason.
"The thing I think is really special about this is that Myles Turner is completely involved with everything," Carlisle said, per Afseth. "He's on the court running stations. He's playing with kids in competitive games."
This is Turner's fourth year running the camp in the Dallas area. He started it after his rookie season and guided it two years in a row, but then national team obligations and the pandemic put it on hold. It returned in 2022, and it's back again this year.
Before, Turner has preached sharing the ball and being a professional. He likes to teach on and off the court skills at his camp, and in the past he had kids do a drill where they would shake his hand and look him in the eye. It's both life and basketball skills.
"It's not just a basketball camp, it's a life skills mentoring camp as well," Carlisle said, per Afseth. "He talks a lot about who you are as a person — integrity, confidence, and things that are really important to how you live your life."
Carlisle attended Turner's camp in 2022 as well. He enjoys teaching, and the camp setting is perfect for that. He has been Turner's head coach for two full seasons now, including Turner's career year in 2022-23.
The center averaged 18.0 points and 7.5 rebounds per game last campaign, which were both career highs. His efficiency was excellent, too. Turner extended his contract with Indiana during the season and has two more years on his deal.
"I think he's just a special player and a very special individual," Carlisle shared when asked about Turner, per Afseth. "I was at this camp last year and saw how he immerses himself in every aspect of this camp... pours everything he has into it... This is a very special experience for the kids that come here. He has the same kind of impact on our city and our team."
Turner has another basketball camp coming up next week. On August 10, he will have a camp near Indianapolis for the first time since being drafted by the Pacers. He has always been invested in the community, and this will take it a step further.
Carlisle fielded more questions about the Mavs and Luka Doncic, but he was also asked about Indiana's offseason in general. The team acquired Bruce Brown, Obi Toppin, Jarace Walker, and a few other young players.
"I loved our offseason," Carlisle said, per Afseth. "Our draft was terrific. We had a great summer signing of Bruce Brown, he is going to really help us and we're a young team that's gaining experience. We're fun to watch."
Carlisle is about to enter his third season coaching the Pacers since returning to the franchise. More of his comments can be read here.
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