Yeshiva Star Player Aims To Be First Orthodox Jew In NBA

WASHINGTON HEIGHTS, NY — Ryan Turell might make history after years of wowing basketball crowds in Washington Heights.

Yeshiva University's Turell, the star player at the Upper Manhattan-based school just announced he is forgoing his final year of college eligibility and declaring for the 2022 NBA draft.

Turell led all of college basketball in scoring this season for the Maccabees and would become the first Orthodox Jewish player in the NBA if selected to a roster.

"Being the first Orthodox Jew in the NBA would mean the world to me, and a dream come true, God willing," Turell told ESPN in a recent interview. "But, just as importantly, it would mean the world to others that never saw this as a possibility."

Turell added in the ESPN interview that he would continue wearing a yarmulke on the court in the NBA and that he plans to play on Shabbat (Friday evening through Saturday evening), but he would walk to the gym during the period each week.

Turrel led Yeshiva to a 25-3 record this past season, including on a 50 game win streak that spanned two seasons and was the longest active streak in college basketball. For a significant portion of this season, Yeshiva was the No. 1 ranked college basketball team in the country for Division III.

The 6-foot-7 inch Turell averaged 27.1 points a game this season on 47 percent from three. He helped Yeshiva win the Skyline Conference championship and also became the school's all-time leading scorer with 2,158 career points despite two shortened seasons because of COVID.

Turell is not currently projected to be drafted, but has been scouted by multiple NBA franchises and has a long list of pre-draft workouts to raise his chances.

"I want to get into as many NBA gyms as possible and show them what I can do," Turell told ESPN. "I've got to knock down shots and be a great defender and teammate."