| Minnesota Timberwolves | |
|---|---|
| Position | Assistant coach |
| League | NBA |
| Personal information | |
| Born | (1959-06-10)June 10, 1959 (age 65) Knoxville, Tennessee, U. S. |
| Listed height | 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) |
| Listed weight | 190 lb (86 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school | Austin-East (Knoxville, Tennessee) |
| College | Ole Miss (1977–1981) |
| NBA draft | 1981: 2nd round, 43rd overall pick |
| Selected by theDallas Mavericks | |
| Playing career | 1981–1995 |
| Position | Shooting guard /small forward |
| Number | 33, 20, 21 |
| Coaching career | 1994–present |
| Career history | |
| As player: | |
| 1981–1984 | Dallas Mavericks |
| 1984–1986 | Denver Nuggets |
| 1986–1988 | Chicago Bulls |
| 1988–1989 | Denver Nuggets |
| 1989–1990 | Rockford Lightning |
| 1990 | Granollers |
| 1990 | Scavolini Pesaro |
| 1990–1991 | Apollon Patras |
| 1992–1995 | Wichita Falls Texans /Chicago Rockers |
| As coach: | |
| 1994–1995 | Chicago Rockers |
| 1995–1996 | Quad City Thunder (assistant) |
| 1996–2000 | Portland Trail Blazers (assistant) |
| 2000–2006 | Sacramento Kings (assistant) |
| 2007–2011 | Houston Rockets (assistant) |
| 2011–2013 | Phoenix Suns (assistant) |
| 2013–2016 | Memphis Grizzlies (assistant) |
| 2016–2019 | Sacramento Kings (assistant) |
| 2019–2020 | Houston Rockets (assistant) |
| 2021–present | Minnesota Timberwolves (assistant) |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
| Career NBA statistics | |
| Points | 2,397 (4.7 ppg) |
| Rebounds | 1,375 (2.7 rpg) |
| Assists | 914 (1.7 apg) |
Stats at NBA.com  | |
| Stats atBasketball Reference | |
Elston Howard Turner Sr. (born June 10, 1959) is an American former professionalbasketball player who is an assistant coach for theMinnesota Timberwolves of theNational Basketball Association (NBA).
A 6'5" (1.96 m)shooting guard–small forward from theUniversity of Mississippi, leadingOle Miss to its first everNCAA Tournament in his senior year, Turner was selected in the second round (43rd overall) of the1981 NBA draft by theDallas Mavericks, and played in eightNBA seasons from 1981 to 1989, for the Mavericks, theDenver Nuggets, and theChicago Bulls. He also coached and played in the CBA—as an assistant coach for theQuad City Thunder and as a player–coach for the Chicago Rockers. He also played professionally in Europe.
Turner later moved to the NBA, with theSacramento Kings (six years) and thePortland Trail Blazers (four). In 2007, he rejoinedRick Adelman's staff at theHouston Rockets.[1]
In 2008, Turner was interviewed twice[2] for thePhoenix Suns' head coach position that became vacant whenMike D'Antoni left,[1] but was not hired.[3]
In 2009, Turner was interviewed for the vacantMinnesota Timberwolves head coach position.[4] Turner,Mark Jackson, andLos Angeles Lakers assistantKurt Rambis were the three finalists for the job,[5] and Rambis was the Wolves' ultimate choice.[6][7]
In 2010, Turner was interviewed for both thePhiladelphia 76ers'[8] and theChicago Bulls' vacant head coaching positions.[7] They were eventually taken byDoug Collins andTom Thibodeau, respectively.[9] Also in 2010, the Rockets allowed Turner to talk to theL.A. Clippers about its vacant head coaching job.[9]
In 2011, Turner was interviewed for a defensive coordinator position for the Phoenix Suns along with theMilwaukee Bucks' coordinatorJim Boylan, theSan Antonio Spurs' coordinatorDon Newman, and theGolden State Warriors' coordinatorPete Myers.[10] Turner signed a two-year contract, becoming the Suns' fifth assistant head coach, withBill Cartwright,Dan Majerle,Igor Kokoškov, and Noel Gillespie.
In 2012, Turner was interviewed for thePortland Trail Blazers' head coach position.[11] He,Terry Stotts,Steve Clifford, and then-interim coachKaleb Canales were the four finalists for the job.[12] Ultimately, Turner was not hired.[13] In January 2013, he resigned from his position with Phoenix. In September 2013, theMemphis Grizzlies hired him as an assistant coach.[14]
In 2016, Turner rejoined theSacramento Kings as an assistant coach.[15] In 2019, he returned to the Rockets as the lead assistant coach who was added to focus on running defense—former assistantJeff Bzdelik’s role.[16]
On August 31, 2021, Turner joined theMinnesota Timberwolves as an assistant coach.[17]
Turner is a member ofOmega Psi Phi fraternity. His son,Elston Turner Jr., played guard for theUniversity of WashingtonHuskies men's basketball team from 2008 to 2010. He transferred toTexas A&M University for his junior and senior seasons.[18]