Ex-memphis star Turner named Lane coach
Former Memphis guard Andre Turner has been hired as head men’s basketball coach at Lane College, the school announced Thursday.
Turner coached at his alma mater, Mitchell High, for the past 11 seasons and helped guide the Tigers to three consecutive state titles from 2014-16. He was an assistant to Faragi Phillips before becoming coach in July 2015
“I am thrilled to be given this opportunity to coach at the next level,” Turner said. “My primary focus is to be an ambassador to build these young men up. We will use basketball as the vehicle to do that. Our first goal will be helping our student-athletes earn a college degree. After that, we want to field a team that will compete for championships while at Lane.”
Nicknamed the “Little General,” Turner scored 1,442 points at Memphis and is the Tigers’ all-time leader in singlegame assists (15), single-season assists (262) and career assists (763).
He helped Memphis reach the 1985 Final Four, where the Tigers fell to eventual champion Villanova.
Turner was drafted by the Los Angeles Lakers in the 1986 NBA draft and played six years in the NBA before embarking on a lengthy career overseas that included winning the 1997 Spanish King’s Cup MVP Award.
“As we methodically went through the interview process speaking to many strong candidates, Andre impressed us with his vision, the depth and sophistication of his plan, and his enthusiasm,” Lane athletic director Derrick Burroughs said. “He cares about studentathletes and helping them reach their potential on and off the court. I have known Andre for over 30 years and his integrity, consistent leadership, and character is without question. I am proud that Andre and his family will be with us for years to come.”