If you are a Vols fan you may have heard the news that Lamonte' Turner has signed with Tennessee and is expected to play immediately. However, you may not know exactly who he is, but at the end of this article you'll be well acquainted with him.
Lamonte' Turner hailing from Huntsville, Alabama is a kid who didn't have the easiest life. He would tell you he doesn't want a pity party so don't bother giving him one. He would tell you that every obstacle he's ever faced he's made the best of his situation. At a very young age of 15 he left his home-state to attend a prep school in Jacksonville, Florida. Imagine being 15 years old and your family is 525 miles away; you tend to grow up quickly. Without parental supervision Turner had to learn how to be an adult and independent. He'll admit that things were hard initially, nevertheless he was a man on a mission. As the older brother of two he is no stranger to being the man of the house. All these things helped place Lamonte' in prime position to be a success. Basketball was his escape from reality when the times were tough.
"I just love ball man. Growing up I always wanted to be an NBA player so I took my ball everywhere with me, even slept with it. It's (playing basketball) what I do when I'm happy, sad, or mad. It has its ups and downs but it's worth it," said Turner.
Unlike some players Lamonte' wasn't always good at basketball and he has no problem owning up to that.
"When people tell me I'm lucky or that I'm good at basketball, I tell them I'm blessed. Not blessed to have the talent, but to have the work ethic to outwork my opponents because unlike some I wasn't always good at basketball. I worked for everything I have."
"I wasn't a natural born great player. I always could shoot, but man I had to work like hell to get where I am today. I wasn't athletic, wasn't fast and couldn't dribble. I had to work to get all of those things. Most people are already athletic and some are just naturally good."
Work is exactly what Turner has done and continues to do. This past Christmas Eve, Turner was sitting in his room reviewing film on his computer after losing a big game days before. He didn't go back home so he had to spend the holidays alone. Turner understood that sacrifices had to be made in order to get to the next level. Despite missing his family he ensured his mother that things would get better.
"I keep telling my mom and myself that it will all pay off, and I pray it does," Turner stated.
About a month later, Turner would transfer to IMG in Bradenton, Florida even further away from his hometown in Alabama. It was a move he felt like he had to make to continue to grow as a player. He understood that his role would be different on this powerhouse team and learned a lot from that. He called the experience "Humbling" referring to a time where he dressed out but didn't play. Yet another experience Lamonte' Turner would learn from and add in his tool box to refer back to when needed.
A few months later, Turner would make a decision that many didn't see coming. He discussed with his family and coaches about reclassifying to 2015 and preparing himself to start college this coming fall. He would eventually commit Tennessee.
"It's like I skipped senior year, (prom and senior skipped day) I missed all of that, but it'll pay off though," said Turner.
So now Lamonte' Turner is one of the newest members to the Tennessee Vols men's basketball team. Some may wonder what does he bring to the program and what are his expectations. That question was asked to him and he stated:
"My expectations for this upcoming season are definitely high, but the fans can pretty much expect me to compete from day one. I believe we will be a top team, if not the top team, in the SEC and obviously like any other player I expect us to make an NCAA tournament run. I feel like anyone can make the tournament and compete for a title, with talent and a lot of hard work, so why not us?" He added,
"At the same time everything is new here at Tennessee so we are going to have bumps along the road just being a new team and learning to play with one another."
Lamonte' may admit that he wasn't always great, but don't let his humbleness fool you. He's definitely confident in his game, however he has no problem stating what he needs to work on.
"Although I'm very self confident I wouldn't say any of my game is solid. I feel like I can get better in each aspect of my game, but the thing I feel I need to improve on the most is being vocal and being more active on defense."
When he's not playing basketball, Lamonte' is a cool laid back kid, as he would describe himself. He is very approachable and likes to meet new people. He said he likes playing video games, socializing with friends, and rapping. So, who knows maybe Vols nation would have a "Damian Lillard" type of player that's not only great on the court, but can give you a mix-tape or at least four bars on a Friday.
So what did we learn here?
We learned that Lamonte' Turner, the 17 year-old kid from Huntsville, Alabama, was inspired to play basketball by his brother. He learned the game, studied the game, and became a highly ranked guard in his class. Who learned how to be very independent at a very young age because he lived so far away from home. He made some tough decisions, but put himself in prime position to be successful. He compares his game to Allen Iverson, and at times you may see him with braids instead of the bushy fro. He also likes Trey Burke's game as well.
Lamonte' understands the challenges that lies ahead and is ready to take them on. Rocky Top... meet Lamonte' Turner
Lamonte' Turner hailing from Huntsville, Alabama is a kid who didn't have the easiest life. He would tell you he doesn't want a pity party so don't bother giving him one. He would tell you that every obstacle he's ever faced he's made the best of his situation. At a very young age of 15 he left his home-state to attend a prep school in Jacksonville, Florida. Imagine being 15 years old and your family is 525 miles away; you tend to grow up quickly. Without parental supervision Turner had to learn how to be an adult and independent. He'll admit that things were hard initially, nevertheless he was a man on a mission. As the older brother of two he is no stranger to being the man of the house. All these things helped place Lamonte' in prime position to be a success. Basketball was his escape from reality when the times were tough.
"I just love ball man. Growing up I always wanted to be an NBA player so I took my ball everywhere with me, even slept with it. It's (playing basketball) what I do when I'm happy, sad, or mad. It has its ups and downs but it's worth it," said Turner.
Unlike some players Lamonte' wasn't always good at basketball and he has no problem owning up to that.
"When people tell me I'm lucky or that I'm good at basketball, I tell them I'm blessed. Not blessed to have the talent, but to have the work ethic to outwork my opponents because unlike some I wasn't always good at basketball. I worked for everything I have."
"I wasn't a natural born great player. I always could shoot, but man I had to work like hell to get where I am today. I wasn't athletic, wasn't fast and couldn't dribble. I had to work to get all of those things. Most people are already athletic and some are just naturally good."
Work is exactly what Turner has done and continues to do. This past Christmas Eve, Turner was sitting in his room reviewing film on his computer after losing a big game days before. He didn't go back home so he had to spend the holidays alone. Turner understood that sacrifices had to be made in order to get to the next level. Despite missing his family he ensured his mother that things would get better.
"I keep telling my mom and myself that it will all pay off, and I pray it does," Turner stated.
About a month later, Turner would transfer to IMG in Bradenton, Florida even further away from his hometown in Alabama. It was a move he felt like he had to make to continue to grow as a player. He understood that his role would be different on this powerhouse team and learned a lot from that. He called the experience "Humbling" referring to a time where he dressed out but didn't play. Yet another experience Lamonte' Turner would learn from and add in his tool box to refer back to when needed.
A few months later, Turner would make a decision that many didn't see coming. He discussed with his family and coaches about reclassifying to 2015 and preparing himself to start college this coming fall. He would eventually commit Tennessee.
"It's like I skipped senior year, (prom and senior skipped day) I missed all of that, but it'll pay off though," said Turner.
So now Lamonte' Turner is one of the newest members to the Tennessee Vols men's basketball team. Some may wonder what does he bring to the program and what are his expectations. That question was asked to him and he stated:
"My expectations for this upcoming season are definitely high, but the fans can pretty much expect me to compete from day one. I believe we will be a top team, if not the top team, in the SEC and obviously like any other player I expect us to make an NCAA tournament run. I feel like anyone can make the tournament and compete for a title, with talent and a lot of hard work, so why not us?" He added,
"At the same time everything is new here at Tennessee so we are going to have bumps along the road just being a new team and learning to play with one another."
Lamonte' may admit that he wasn't always great, but don't let his humbleness fool you. He's definitely confident in his game, however he has no problem stating what he needs to work on.
"Although I'm very self confident I wouldn't say any of my game is solid. I feel like I can get better in each aspect of my game, but the thing I feel I need to improve on the most is being vocal and being more active on defense."
When he's not playing basketball, Lamonte' is a cool laid back kid, as he would describe himself. He is very approachable and likes to meet new people. He said he likes playing video games, socializing with friends, and rapping. So, who knows maybe Vols nation would have a "Damian Lillard" type of player that's not only great on the court, but can give you a mix-tape or at least four bars on a Friday.
So what did we learn here?
We learned that Lamonte' Turner, the 17 year-old kid from Huntsville, Alabama, was inspired to play basketball by his brother. He learned the game, studied the game, and became a highly ranked guard in his class. Who learned how to be very independent at a very young age because he lived so far away from home. He made some tough decisions, but put himself in prime position to be successful. He compares his game to Allen Iverson, and at times you may see him with braids instead of the bushy fro. He also likes Trey Burke's game as well.
Lamonte' understands the challenges that lies ahead and is ready to take them on. Rocky Top... meet Lamonte' Turner