Standing at 6 feet, 11 inches, NBA rookie and Indiana Pacers center Myles Turner has worked his way into the starting lineup, where he has averaged 10.5 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks per game this season. While he is proving himself on the court, he also takes time to acknowledge community issues while remaining close with family.
On March 24, Turner tweeted: “My mom helped me become the man I am today. Proud to do my part for the women in my life. #LeanInTogether.”
The Indianapolis Recorder spoke with the 20-year-old after a recent practice to learn more about his community service efforts in Indy, his family values and thoughts on the Black Lives Matter movement.
Indianapolis Recorder Newspaper: You’re really involved in the Indianapolis community, and you seem to balance community service with basketball well. Talk to us about your WARM campaign, which began as a family tradition back in Texas.
Turner: WARM stands for We All Really Matter. Growing up, my parents taught us the importance of giving back. During the winter they kept our car stocked with coats, blankets and care packs, just in case we saw someone in need. (Homelessness is) the one issue that really sticks out to me. When I went to college, there were a lot of homeless people and less fortunate, so I wanted to target those people, because I felt bad for them. People say, “Black lives matter” and “this matters,” but to me, everyone matters, because we are all created under one God.
Speaking of Black Lives Matter, do you feel as if the movement has been beneficial to the Black community?
It’s very beneficial. The more and more society moves forward, the more they want us to forget about history. Those in the Jewish community never let you forget about the Holocaust, but when you look at textbooks nowadays, they are trying to change history to act like it never happened. They’re trying to say the Atlantic Crossing was some sort of cruise ship, and that’s not true. We have to keep facts going in people’s minds, because the more we progress, the faster it all fades away.
What type of morals and values were instilled in you as a child that you continue to live out today?
I never forget where I came from, because it’s easy to get caught up when you come into a newfound fortune. That’s why I really focus on giving back to the community, because you have to keep doing what you were doing before to maintain where you’re going.
You are a native of Bedford, Texas. Tell us what it was like growing up in the South and any major differences you see in Indiana.
Texas can be a very racist state, but personally, I never experienced any obvious racism growing up. I lived in a predominately white neighborhood. My mom and dad experienced something different in the ’70s and ’80s, but things were pretty good for me. If you go to West Texas, you’re going to experience it, as there are very opinionated people out there. I haven’t experienced any racism in Indiana either, but I do notice there is a greater white population in the downtown area.
The gun violence in Indy has increased steadily each year. What do you feel the youth of today are missing?
They all need a peace of mind. You see all of the things being highlighted in the media along with the people they look up to, like rappers and athletes. With that you lose a peace of mind, and it’s up to us to set a better example.
Not only are there several Black-on-Black crimes, but also a number of police brutality cases have been brought to the public’s attention. What are your thoughts on how to combat this issue?
I have a lot of opinions on that and I keep up with the news often, as that’s something my mom instilled in me. It needs to stop, of course. Our population wants to keep things the way they are, and don’t want things to change. They want to keep people of lower (class) low. The police brutality isn’t going to stop, and that’s the sad truth about it. Don’t fall into the stereotypes people already put us in.
