Ryan Turell Enters 2022 NBA Draft; Would Be League's 1st Orthodox Jewish Player

Yeshiva University guard Ryan Turell will forgo his final season of eligibility and enter his name into the 2022 NBA draft, he told ESPN's Jonathan Givony.

Turell is attempting to become the first Orthodox Jewish player in NBA history. He wears the traditional yarmulke while on the court and said he plans to continue doing so when he plays professional basketball.

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

Turell averaged 27.1 points while shooting 47 percent from three-point range while playing at Yevisha, a Division III school located in New York City.  He was the Skyline Conference Player of the Year each of the last two seasons and led the program to a conference title in 2021-22.

Givony reported Turell has been "thoroughly" scouted by NBA teams, though he is not a projected draft pick at this time. ESPN does not have him listed among its top 100 prospects in the 2022 class.

"I know NBA teams came to see me," Turell told Givony. "My coach would tell me after each game, especially toward the end of the season. Quite a few NBA teams came to watch."

Turell says he plans to attend the Portsmouth Invitational Tournament if invited and wants to get in front of as many scouts as possible before June's draft.

Even if he goes undrafted, Turell plans on playing professional basketball somewhere next season.