As a star point guard for the Kentucky Wildcats during a four-year period in which they won two national titles (1996 and 1998) and lost in the championship game once (1997).

Turner also played as an import (non-local) in the Italian team Andrea Costa Imola (September to December 2001),[5] and in the Australasian National Basketball League for the Townsville Crocodiles (2002–03), before his contract was terminated[6] following charges laid in the U.S. after police found an illegally possessed 9mm handgun, loaded with 12 rounds, in his rental car.

[7] In September 2010, he returned to the University of Kentucky to finish his undergraduate degree, and joined the men's basketball staff at his alma mater.

[2] Turner was also the Director of Player Development for the men's basketball team at the University of Louisville, working under his former coach Rick Pitino and briefly under David Padgett.

Wayne Turner is mentioned in Frank X Walker's poem "Death by Basketball," found in his volume of poetry, Affrilachia.