West Adelaide’s Brett Turner goes from BMX bandit and hoops star to AFL draft prospect

WEST Adelaide’s Brett Turner has emerged as an AFL draft prospect — but his initial sporting loves were bikes and basketball, not football.

WEST Adelaide’s Brett Turner has emerged as an AFL draft prospect.

But his initial sporting loves were bikes and basketball, not football.

Turner, 18, won a national junior BMX title as an eight-year-old and made a handful of state junior hoops teams.

Footy was not on the cards until the his first year of high school.

“I was riding my bike when I was four and racing when I was five,” Turner says.

“The (BMX) bike’s now out the back, getting cobwebs on it.”

Turner quit BMX when he was 10 to concentrate on playing hoops.

“It became an Olympic sport but by that stage I’d decided to play basketball.

“It’s a bit of a regret to leave that behind me but what’s done is done.”

As a point guard for Sturt Sabres, Turner was selected in a handful of state junior basketball teams.

His passion for the game waned as his love of footy grew while playing for ­Flagstaff Hill.

“It was the end of my state under-16 season ... and I thought to myself I wasn’t really going to make an NBA career out of this.

“I preferred football and enjoyed the culture of it a lot more.”

Turner caught the attention of AFL clubs this year after playing three reserves and 17 under-18 games for the Bloods — his first ­without other sporting ­commitments.

He impressed at last month’s state draft combine, recording level 13.5 in the beep test, 8.22 secs in the agility run and an 80cm running vertical leap.

This year was also Turner’s first playing mainly across half-back and through the midfield, having previously made the state under-16 team as a full forward.

“Transitioning from basketball to football, it’s easier to read the play from the backline.

“Playing in the backline, a fair portion of what you do is reading the ball.”

Turner’s decision to stick with footy sat well with his grandfather, former West Adelaide player Russell Roberts, who watched most of his games this year.

“He bought me a guernsey when I was a lot longer and has always wanted me to play footy.

“He’s never really been a BMX or basketball fan.”

After giving up on his NBA and Olympic ambitions, Turner hopes to win a spot on an AFL list at the November 27 draft.

“As far-fetched as it might sound now, it’s always been a dream of mine.

“I’d like to think recruiters think there’s a lot of scope for improvement.

“It’s going to be really hard to get picked up but if I am I’ll try my hardest and see what I can do.”

ROAD TO DRAFT

BRETT TURNER

Club: West Adelaide

Age: 18

Height: 183cm

Weight: 79kg

Position: Half-back/midfielder

Say What: “He can play tall for his size and he’s got a good kick. His finals series in the under-18s was particularly exciting and his results in the state combine were really good,” – Bloods football manager Andrew Marks.

Draft verdict: 50-rookie