College basketball player strives to become NBA's 1st Orthodox Jewish player

Ryan Turell, a 6-foot-7 senior at Yeshiva University and the country's leading college basketball scorer, could soon make NBA history.

Turell, who averages 27.1 points a game and is the top scorer in Yeshiva history, told ESPN that he is forgoing his final year of college eligibility in order to enter the 2022 NBA draft. "My full intention is to play professional basketball next year," he said.

If he goes pro, Turell will become the first Orthodox Jewish player in the league. "Being the first Orthodox Jew in the NBA would mean the world to me, and a dream come true, God willing," he told ESPN. "But, just as importantly, it would mean the world to others that never saw this as a possibility."

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If he becomes a professional player, Turell said he would continue to wear a yarmulke while playing and observe the Jewish Sabbath. "I want to get into as many NBA gyms as possible and show them what I can do," Turell said. "I've got to knock down shots and be a great defender and teammate."