Landon Turner (basketball)

Last updated
Landon Turner
Landon Turner.jpg
Turner with the Arsenal Tech basketball team in 1977
Personal information
Born (1960-09-30) September 30, 1960 (age 64)
Indianapolis, Indiana, U.S.
Listed height6 ft 10 in (2.08 m)
Listed weight235 lb (107 kg)
Career information
High school Arsenal Tech (Indianapolis, Indiana)
College Indiana (1978–1982)
NBA draft 1982: 10th round, 225th overall pick
Selected by the Boston Celtics
Position Power forward / center
Career highlights and awards
Stats at Basketball Reference  OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg

Landon Montel Turner (born September 30, 1960) is an American former basketball player. He played college basketball for the Indiana Hoosiers and won an NCAA championship as a junior in 1981. Hoosiers head coach Bob Knight considered Turner to have the potential to be the best player he ever coached. Primed for a breakthrough senior season and considered a top National Basketball Association (NBA) draft pick, Turner's basketball career came to an end when he was paralyzed from the chest down in a car accident in July 1981. He stayed with the Hoosiers as a team captain during the 1981–82 season before the Boston Celtics honored Turner by selecting him as the final pick of the 1982 NBA draft. He played wheelchair basketball for three years before he embarked on a career as a motivational speaker. Turner is a member of the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame and the Indiana University Athletics Hall of Fame.

Contents

Early life

Turner was born on September 30, 1960, [1] to Adell and Rita Turner. [2] His father competed in track and played football; he received an athletic scholarship to play football for the Purdue Boilermakers but dropped out. [2] Turner considers his father to be his biggest influence as an athlete. [2]

Turner played basketball at Arsenal Technical High School – the same school as his father. [3] He grew from 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) during his freshman year to 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) in his sophomore year, when he also developed the ability to slam dunk. [4] During his senior season, Turner emerged as a star prospect and set an Arsenal Tech season record for points with 616 while he averaged 21.4 points and 15.8 rebounds per game. [5] [6] Turner was named a Parade All-American and played in the 1978 McDonald's All-American Game as the only player from Indiana. [1] [7] [8]

College career

Turner received 300 letters of college offers, [8] but narrowed his choices down to the Indiana Hoosiers and the Purdue Boilermakers in his home state so his parents could attend his games. [2] His father was a fan of the Hoosiers and their head coach Bob Knight, [9] and Turner committed to play for the Hoosiers under Knight in the fall of 1978. [6] Having heard about Knight's relentlessness as a coach, Turner was surprised by his "calm demeanor" during a home visit and jokingly considered Knight to be "a demon in disguise". [4] Once Turner joined the Hoosiers, Knight was so hard on him that he considered quitting the team during his freshman season. [4] Hoosiers teammate Steve Risley believed Knight saw more potential in Landon than anyone else but saw him making less of an effort. [10] Knight thought Turner could be the best player he coached and the greatest Hoosiers player ever but became increasingly frustrated by his lack of growth. [4] [10] At the conclusion of his sophomore season, Knight was so annoyed by Turner's casual attitude that he told him to quit the team and play professionally. [11] Turner persisted with the Hoosiers but his grades dropped as he attended parties instead of studying, which led to his benching by Knight during his junior season. [4] Knight believed that Turner "couldn't think past tomorrow" and grew increasingly frustrated by his lack of willingness to apply himself completely in practices. [10] After Turner restored his grades and Knight saw improvement in his playing, he was returned to the starting line-up with a few games left in the Big Ten Conference, where he helped the team remain undefeated for the rest of the season. [4] [10] During the 1981 NCAA Division I Basketball Tournament, Turner formed a formidable trio with guard Isiah Thomas and center Ray Tolbert who were considered to be the Hoosiers' best players. [11] In the final game of the tournament, the Hoosiers defeated the North Carolina Tar Heels 63–50 to win the NCAA championship. [4] Turner was named to the all-tournament team. [4]

With the graduation of Tolbert and the draft declaration of Thomas, Turner was expected to be the cornerstone of the Hoosiers during the 1981–82 season. [11] Knight believed Turner could have been the best player in the country during his senior season while Boston Celtics general manager Red Auerbach had expected him to be a top-five selection in the 1982 NBA draft. [11] Thomas compared Turner to James Worthy and thought "he had all the makings of being a great power forward." [12]

Paralysis

On the morning of July 26, 1981, Turner was driving on Indiana State Road 46 near Columbus, Indiana, when his car lost control on a curve and flipped. He was driving to the Kings Island amusement park in Ohio with three friends, who were all also injured in the crash. [13] Turner had not been wearing a seat belt when he crashed. [14] Turner was taken to Bartholomew County Hospital in Columbus before he was transferred to Indiana University Health Methodist Hospital later that same day. [13] Knight, who was on a summer fishing vacation in Idaho, flew back to Indiana to be with Turner and his family. [15] He was also visited in hospital by Thomas, who remarked to teammate Randy Wittman: "If I knew this was going to happen, I wouldn't have left". [6] Turner fractured his spine and felt "some paralysis in his hands and legs" after the accident. [13] With the injury low in his back, Turner eventually had the full use of his arms and hands return but his legs were permanently paralyzed. [10] Turner stayed in hospital for four months before he returned to his parents' house. [4] During his recovery time, Turner and Knight developed a close relationship that was considered to be like that of a father and son. [10] Knight named Turner as team captain of the Hoosiers for the 1981–82 season. [6]

Knight organized a national campaign to create the Landon Turner Trust Fund that helped raise $400,000 to pay for Turner's medical bills. [10] [14] Thomas staged an all-star basketball game in 1981 that helped raise an additional $90,000. [15] The Boston Celtics honoured Turner by selecting him as the 225th and final selection of the 1982 NBA draft at the suggestion of Knight, who had mentioned it in a conversation with Celtics general manager Red Auerbach and head coach Bill Fitch at an NBA instructional camp a month prior. [11] Knight considered the gesture "a beautiful thing" by the Celtics and subsequently called Auerbach "one of the class people in sports." [11] After finding out he had been drafted, Turner jocularly sent a telegram to Auerbach that read: "When do I report for tryout?" [11] Auerbach stayed in contact with Turner and sent him two championship watches when the Celtics won the NBA Finals in 1984 and 1986. [12]

Life after basketball

Turner sued the Ford Motor Company in 1983 and claimed that the roof of his 1973 Ford LTD offered him no protection during his accident. He requested compensation for his medical expenses and lost earnings from a professional career. Turner signed an out-of-court settlement with Ford for an undisclosed amount in 1985. [16]

Upon the insistence of Knight, Turner returned to Indiana University Bloomington (IU) to complete his physical education degree in 1983. [4] [10] He had to attend some classes at Indiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) due to his inability to mount the stairs for his classrooms at IU. [4] Turner graduated in 1984. [4] That same year, he was employed by IU as coordinator of minority affairs and held that position until 1988. [15]

Turner began playing wheelchair basketball for the Circle City Knight Riders, who were affiliated with the Indiana Pacers, in 1987. [12] [15] He was initially reluctant to play wheelchair basketball because he could not play like he used to but joined at the insistence of the Knight Riders' founder Tony Williams. [14] Turner was selected for the Most Courageous Award by the United States Basketball Writers Association in 1989 for his basketball comeback. [17] He played wheelchair basketball for three years but quit because he did not have the same love for the game. [12]

Turner founded a motivational speaking business, Landon Turner Enterprises Inc., in 1989. [14] He speaks at schools and churches about disability awareness, the story of his life and gaining acceptance. [12] [14] Turner wrote a book titled Landon Turner's Tales from the 1980–81 Indiana Hoosiers about his season-long struggles with the championship-winning team that also features a foreword by Knight. [18]

Turner was inducted into the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame in 2007 and the Indiana University Athletics Hall of Fame in 2012. [19] [20]

Career statistics

Legend
  GPGames played  GS Games started MPG Minutes per game
 FG%  Field goal percentage 3P%  3-point field goal percentage FT%  Free throw percentage
 RPG  Rebounds per game APG  Assists per game SPG  Steals per game
 BPG  Blocks per game PPG Points per game Bold Career high

College

YearTeamGPGSMPGFG%3P%FT%RPGAPGSPGBPGPPG
1978–79 Indiana 331318.0.542–.5383.4.3.5.35.5
1979–80 Indiana 261220.0.485–.7084.4.5.5.47.4
1980–81 Indiana 331821.0.561–.7173.7.8.5.59.5
Career924319.6.534–.6543.8.5.5.47.5

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bob Knight</span> American basketball coach (1940–2023)

Robert Montgomery Knight was an American men's college basketball coach. Often referred to as Bobby Knight and nicknamed "the General", he won 902 NCAA Division I men's basketball games, a record at the time of his retirement and sixth all-time record at the time of his death.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Boston Celtics</span> American professional basketball team

The Boston Celtics are an American professional basketball team based in Boston. The Celtics compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Founded in 1946 as one of the league's original eight teams, the Celtics play their home games at TD Garden, a shared arena with the NHL's Boston Bruins. The Celtics are commonly regarded as the most successful team in NBA history and hold the records for most NBA championships won, with 18, and most recorded wins of any NBA franchise.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Larry Bird</span> American basketball player (born 1956)

Larry Joe Bird is an American former professional basketball player, coach, and executive in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Nicknamed "the Hick from French Lick" and "Larry Legend", Bird is widely regarded as one of the greatest basketball players of all time. He is the only person in NBA history to be named Rookie of the Year, Most Valuable Player, Finals MVP, All-Star MVP, Coach of the Year, and Executive of the Year.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Red Auerbach</span> American basketball coach and executive (1917–2006)

Arnold Jacob "Red" Auerbach was an American professional basketball coach and executive. He served as a head coach in the National Basketball Association (NBA), most notably with the Boston Celtics. Auerbach was also the head coach of the Washington Capitols and Tri-Cities Blackhawks. As a coach, Auerbach set NBA records with 938 wins and nine championships. After his coaching retirement in 1966, he served as president and front office executive of the Celtics until his death. As general manager and team president of the Celtics, he won an additional seven NBA titles for a total of 16 in a span of 29 years, the most of any individual in NBA history, making him one of the most successful team officials in the history of North American professional sports.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Isiah Thomas</span> American basketball player and coach

Isiah Lord Thomas III, also known as "Zeke", is an American former professional basketball player and coach who is an analyst for NBA TV. He played his entire professional career for the Detroit Pistons of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Widely regarded as one of the greatest point guards of all time, Thomas was a two-time NBA champion, an NBA Finals MVP recipient, a five-time All-NBA Team member, a 12-time NBA All-Star with two All-Star Game MVP awards and the 1985 NBA assist leader. He was named to the NBA's 50th and 75th anniversary teams, and inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2000. From 2000 to 2012 he coached the Indiana Pacers, New York Knicks, and FIU.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mike Woodson</span> American basketball player and coach (born 1958)

Michael Dean Woodson is an American basketball coach and former professional player who is the head coach of the Indiana Hoosiers men's basketball team.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Calbert Cheaney</span> American basketball player

Calbert Nathaniel Cheaney is an American basketball coach and former player who serves as Director of player development for the Indiana Hoosiers men's basketball of the Big Ten. He starred as a player for the Indiana Hoosiers men's basketball from 1989 to 1993 under coach Bob Knight. Cheaney ended his career as a three-time All-American and remains the Big Ten's all-time leading scorer with 2,613 career points. He led Indiana to a 105–27 record and the NCAA Tournament all four years, including a Final Four appearance in 1992.

The 1978 NBA draft was the 32nd annual draft of the National Basketball Association (NBA). The draft was held on June 9, 1978, at the Plaza Hotel in New York City, New York, before the 1978–79 season. In this draft, 22 NBA teams took turns selecting amateur U.S. college basketball players and other eligible players, including international players. The first two picks in the draft belonged to the teams that finished last in each conference, with the order determined by a coin flip. The Indiana Pacers won the coin flip and were awarded the first overall pick, while the Kansas City Kings, who obtained the New Jersey Nets' first-round pick in a trade, were awarded the second pick. The Pacers then traded the first pick to the Portland Trail Blazers before the draft. The remaining first-round picks and the subsequent rounds were assigned to teams in reverse order of their win–loss record in the previous season. A player who had finished his four-year college eligibility was eligible for selection. If a player left college early, he would not be eligible for selection until his college class graduated. Before the draft, five college underclassmen were declared eligible for selection under the "hardship" rule. These players had applied and gave evidence of financial hardship to the league, which granted them the right to start earning their living by starting their professional careers earlier. Prior to the start of the season, the Buffalo Braves relocated to San Diego and became the San Diego Clippers. The draft consisted of 10 rounds comprising the selection of 202 players.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Indiana Hoosiers</span> Intercollegiate sports teams of Indiana University Bloomington

The Indiana Hoosiers are the intercollegiate sports teams and players of Indiana University Bloomington, named after the demonym for people from the state of Indiana. The Hoosiers participate in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) in 24 sports and became a member of the Big Ten Conference on December 1, 1899. The school's official colors are cream and crimson.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Quinn Buckner</span> American basketball player and coach

William Quinn Buckner is an American former professional basketball player and coach. He played collegiate basketball for the Indiana University Hoosiers, and won a national championship in 1976. He was a captain of both the last undefeated NCAA Division I basketball champion and the 1976 Olympics gold medal team. Buckner was selected by the Milwaukee Bucks with the 7th pick of the 1976 NBA draft. He had a ten-year NBA career for three teams. In 1984, he won an NBA title with the Celtics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Randy Wittman</span> American basketball player and coach

Randy Scott Wittman is an American former basketball player at the guard position and former coach of the NBA's Cleveland Cavaliers, Minnesota Timberwolves, and Washington Wizards.

Arthur James "A. J." Guyton is an American former professional basketball player and now basketball coach. He played college basketball for Indiana University.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Indiana Hoosiers men's basketball</span> Mens basketball team of Indiana University Bloomington

The Indiana Hoosiers men's basketball team represents Indiana University Bloomington in NCAA Division I college basketball and competes in the Big Ten Conference. The Hoosiers play at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall on the Branch McCracken Court in Bloomington, Indiana on the Indiana University Bloomington campus. Indiana has won five National Championships in men's basketball – two coming under Branch McCracken and three under Bob Knight. For forty-seven years and counting, Indiana's 1976 squad remains the last undefeated NCAA men's basketball champion.

Robert Anthony Vaden is an American former professional basketball player. Previously he played for the Erie BayHawks of the NBA Development League. Vaden played college basketball with the Indiana Hoosiers and the UAB Blazers for two years each. After four years in college, he was drafted by the Charlotte Bobcats with the 54th pick in the 2009 NBA draft. After the draft, his draft rights were immediately traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder. However, the Thunder did not sign him to a contract. As a result, he went on to play in Italy, Slovakia, and in the NBA Development League with the Tulsa 66ers, the D-League team affiliated with the Thunder.

The 1980–81 Indiana Hoosiers men's basketball team represented Indiana University. Their head coach was Bobby Knight, who was in his 10th year. The team played its home games in Assembly Hall in Bloomington, Indiana, and was a member of the Big Ten Conference.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Christian Watford</span> American basketball player

Christian Ramon Watford is an American former professional basketball player. He played college basketball for Indiana University.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Romeo Langford</span> American basketball player (born 1999)

Romeo James Langford is an American professional basketball player for BCM Gravelines-Dunkerque of the French LNB Élite. He played college basketball for the Indiana Hoosiers and was ranked as one of the highest prospects in the college class of 2019, as he finished as the fifth overall prospect in the 2018 247sports rankings. A shooting guard, he was drafted by the Boston Celtics 14th overall in the 2019 NBA draft.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Juwan Morgan</span> American basketball player

Juwan Christopher Morgan is an American professional basketball player for Budućnost VOLI of the ABA League. He played college basketball for the Indiana Hoosiers.

Joseph Thomas Hillman is an American former basketball and baseball player. He was an All-Big Ten Conference player at Indiana University (IU) and was a member of their 1987 NCAA championship team.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2022–23 Indiana Hoosiers men's basketball team</span> American college basketball season

The 2022–23 Indiana Hoosiers men's basketball team represented Indiana University in the 2022–23 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. They were led by second-year head coach, and former Indiana standout, Mike Woodson. The team played its home games at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall in Bloomington, Indiana, as a member of the Big Ten Conference. The season officially began with the annual event, Hoosier Hysteria, on Friday, October 7, 2022.

References

Footnotes

  1. 1 2 "Landon Turner". IndianaHQ. Retrieved June 13, 2020.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Turner, p. 6.
  3. ↑ "Metro Trio Spells Trouble For Kentucky's Cage Stars". The Indianapolis Star. June 22, 1978. p. 39. Retrieved August 30, 2020.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Rush, Danielle (March 22, 2007). "Turner: Live life to the fullest". Kokomo Tribune. Retrieved June 13, 2020.
  5. ↑ Glenesk, Matthew (January 24, 2019). "Bailey, Kemp, Big Dog: Indiana's McDonald's All Americans over the years". IndyStar. Retrieved June 13, 2020.
  6. 1 2 3 4 Moran, Malcolm (November 23, 1981). "Picking Up the Pieces at Indiana U." The New York Times. Retrieved June 13, 2020.
  7. ↑ "1978 Parade All-American". The Daily Oklahoman. April 2, 1978. p. 307. Retrieved June 13, 2020.
  8. 1 2 Turner, p. 2.
  9. ↑ Turner, p. 7.
  10. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Kindred, Dave (December 23, 1982). "Turner's Legs Are Paralyzed, But Not His Spirit". Washington Post. Retrieved June 13, 2020.
  11. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Anderson, Dave (July 5, 1982). "'When Do I Report?'". The New York Times. Retrieved June 13, 2020.
  12. 1 2 3 4 5 Maxey, Wendell (2010). "Landon Turner remembers life before wheelchair". ESPN. Retrieved June 13, 2020.
  13. 1 2 3 "Indiana's Turner Has Some Paralysis". The New York Times. July 27, 1981. Retrieved June 13, 2020.
  14. 1 2 3 4 5 Grody, Carl (April 6, 1992). "A Second Shot at Life". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved June 13, 2020.
  15. 1 2 3 4 Axthelm, Pete; Shaw, Bill (February 13, 1989). "Sat Down for Life by Fate, Former Basketball Star Landon Turner Rebounds with a Gritty Comeback". People. Retrieved June 13, 2020.
  16. ↑ "Former Indiana University basketball star Landon Turner,..." Los Angeles Times. December 10, 1985. Retrieved June 13, 2020.
  17. ↑ "Most Courageous Award". U.S. Basketball Writers Award. Retrieved September 9, 2020.
  18. ↑ "Landon Turner tells his story". Kokomo Perspective. March 8, 2007. Retrieved June 13, 2020.
  19. ↑ "Landon Turner". Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame. Retrieved June 13, 2020.
  20. ↑ "Landon Turner". Indiana University. Retrieved June 13, 2020.

Works cited

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.