2018 Elston Turner Pro Help Basketball Camp
This year’s Elston Turner Pro Help Basketball Camp was yet again a huge success.
Elston Turner, the head assistant coach for the Sacramento Kings, played at Austin-East in the 1970s and led the Roadrunners to a state championship in 1977 and a national ranking. Elston then went on to have a great college career at Ole Miss, leading them to their first ever NCAA tournament in his senior year. He played in the NBA for 8 seasons from 1981-1989, after which he began coaching in the NBA.
Elston has continued to come back home and hold his "Pro Help" basketball camp each summer at his alma mater. Staying connected to and giving back to the community that he grew up in remains a huge priority. Through 30 years of hosting the camp, the mission remains to provide professional basketball skill instruction to city youth, while encouraging them and providing life lessons and guidance to help them grow to be successful young men and women.
This year’s camp hosted 90 children, ranging from 1st grade to 12th grade, July 23-28. Elston gave professional skill instruction to the kids from minute one to minute none, putting them through offensive and defensive skill work, shooting and dribbling competitions, and competitive games and tournaments.
This year, each participating camper received an “Elston Turner Pro Help Basketball Camp” basketball, an FCA bible, a sports bag, an FCA lanyard, and an official Elston Turner camp t-shirt. Standout campers also received prizes for winning skills competitions, games, and tournaments. The most coveted prizes however, were reserved for students who displayed excellence in the classroom. Due to Elston’s commitment to academic success as well, the campers who turned in report cards with the highest GPAs received official NBA replica jerseys.
The camp was hosted by Elston as well as 20 volunteers who have been faithful friends of his since high school and early childhood. To see the tight-knit community that Elston has remained connected to throughout his professional basketball career and coaching career in the NBA is a testament to his character and humble authenticity.