K.T. Turner joining UK basketball staff, per report

The Kentucky Wildcats have found their third assistant coach.

After nearly a month since Jai Lucas left for the Duke Blue Devils, Kentucky has found his replacement in Oklahoma Sooners assistant K.T. Turner, according to The Athletic reporter Kyle Tucker.

Turner, who joined Oklahoma for the 2021-22 season, was the program’s associate head coach. He previously held the same role with the Texas Longhorns during the 2020-21 season.

Before that, the 44-year-old Turner spent seven seasons at SMU, which included several seasons in which he worked under Larry Brown, who John Calipari has close ties to.

Speaking of, when Turner was hired by Shaka Smart at Texas, Brown offered some strong praise to Turner.

“He (Brown) said, ‘K.T.’s the best assistant I’ve ever been around because the impact that K.T. has on the people around him,” Smart told reporters when he hired Turner, via The Athletic.

A native of Manhattan (KS), Turner played collegiately at Hutchinson Community College and Oklahoma City University. He went on to play pro ball overseas for several years before beginning his coaching career.

Turner was actually part of the Wichita State staff in 2012-13 when they made their magical run to the Final Four, where they were defeated by REDACTED.

You can read more about Turner via his Oklahoma Athletics profile.

And be sure to read Tucker’s full report for more great insight into the hire.

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