Yeshiva University's Ryan Turell, nation's leading college basketball scorer, to enter 2022 NBA draft; aims to be league's first Orthodox Jewish player

Ryan Turell will forgo his final year of college eligibility to enter the NBA draft in 2022, he said.

Turell said that he intended to play professional basketball next year.

Turell is the leading scorer in college basketball in all divisions, with an average of 27.1 points per game. His team won 50 games in a row and was ranked as high as No. 1 in the country in Division III.

Turell wants to be the first Orthodox Jewish player in the NBA. He wears a yarmulke on the basketball court when he plays, and he plans on continuing to do so as a professional.

Being the first Orthodox Jew in the NBA would mean the world to me, and a dream come true, God willing. It would mean the world to others that never saw this as a possibility.

Orthodox Jews don't work or travel on the Sabbath because it is a time for spiritual reflection and rest. This could be an obstacle for Jews like Turell to play in the NBA, G League or professionally in Europe.

Turell plans on walking to the gym and playing on Shabbat.

Turell is a two-time conference player of the year, and the leading scorer in Yeshiva history with more than 2,000 points, despite both his sophomore and junior seasons being shortened by COVID. Several owners, executives and former players attended games in New York to watch Turell, who has been thoroughly scouted by NBA teams this season.

Turell said that NBA teams came to see him. Several NBA teams came to watch.

Turell's ability to make shots in a variety of situations at 6-foot-7, be it running off screens, pulling up in transition, or spacing the floor from well beyond the NBA 3-point line, gives him a coveted niche he could potentially fill at the professional level. According to Synergy Sports Technology, his 1.31 points per possessions ranks him as the third most efficient shooter in college basketball.

Turell is not currently projected to be selected, but could gain steam during the pre-draft process in private team workouts or showcases, which he is under consideration to be invited to. Scouts will scrutinize his ability to score prolifically against bigger and longer players as the level of competition rises, as well as hold his own on the defensive end.

I want to get into as many NBA gyms as possible to show them what I can do. I have to be a great defender and teammate.