Ray Turner (basketball)

Ray Lee Turner (born January 24, 1990) is an American professional basketball player who last played for the Mandurah Magic of the NBL1 West.

During his first two years in Australia, Turner won a QBL championship with the Rockhampton Rockets and was named the SBL Most Valuable Player with the Perth Redbacks.

Turner was born in Houston, Texas, and grew up in the south-central area of South Park without a father and with a sick mother.

He attended South Park BallCats, a basketball academy run by Turner's guardian and father figure Keith Perry.

As a senior in 2008–09, he averaged 16.5 points and earned district MVP honors in addition to being named to the all-state and all-region teams.

[2][5] After going undrafted in the 2013 NBA draft, Turner spent time in Uruguay during the Liga Uruguaya de Basketball pre-season.

[9] On February 20, 2014, Turner signed with the Rockhampton Rockets in Australia for the 2014 Queensland Basketball League season.

[16] On November 1, 2014, Turner was selected by the Los Angeles D-Fenders in the third round of the 2014 NBA Development League Draft.

[20][21] Due to an injury suffered at training, Turner returned to the United States the day he was scheduled to debut for the team.

[22] In February 2015, Turner returned to Australia, signing with the Perth Redbacks for the 2015 State Basketball League season.

[23][24] In his debut for the Redbacks on March 14, Turner recorded 32 points and 30 rebounds in an 84–72 season-opening loss to the Stirling Senators.

[29] In the Redbacks' season finale on July 25, Turner recorded 38 points and 20 rebounds in a 115–102 win over the South West Slammers.

On June 8, 2016, Turner joined the Rockhampton Rockets for the rest of the 2016 Queensland Basketball League season, returning to the club for a second stint.

[44] Two days later, he made his season debut for the Rockets, recording 24 points and 14 rebounds in an 82–71 win over the Sunshine Coast Rip.

[46] In the Rockets' season finale on August 5, Turner recorded 28 points and 14 rebounds in a 116–111 loss to the Ipswich Force.

[53] After missing the Tigers' first two games of the season due to a knee injury,[54] Turner made his debut for Willetton on April 1 against the Geraldton Buccaneers.

After defeating the Perry Lakes Hawks 2–1 in the quarter-finals, the Tigers faced the Perth Redbacks in the semi-finals, where they were swept 2–0 despite Turner's 26 points and 13 rebounds in a 101–92 loss in game two.

[62][63] In the Braves' season opener on April 6, 2018, Turner scored 20 points in a 78–77 win over the Diamond Valley Eagles.

[71] In their elimination final, Turner recorded 37 points and 11 rebounds in a 97–75 win over the Basketball Australia Centre of Excellence.

[74] On January 15, 2019, after practising with the team for two weeks,[75] Turner signed with the Sydney Kings for the rest of the 2018–19 NBL season.

[76] In his debut for the Kings four days later, Turner recorded two points, two rebounds and one block in 7:16 off the bench before fouling out in what was a 119–99 loss to the Adelaide 36ers.

[79] The Kings finished the regular season in third place with an 18–10 record before losing 2–0 to Melbourne United in the semi-finals, despite Turner's 12 points off the bench in game two.

35 in honor of good friend and 2010 Aggie signee Tobi Oyedeji, who was killed in a Houston car accident in May 2010.

Turner with the Tigers in April 2017, donning his traditional #35