K.T. Turner is in his eighth season at SMU (2020-21), his fifth as associate head coach.
In his seven seasons at SMU, the Mustangs have won The American regular season twice (2014-15, 2016-17), the AAC Tournament twice (2015, 2017) and made the NCAA tournament two times (2015, 2017). SMU also reached the NIT title game in 2014, and has won the 2015-16 Las Vegas Classic and the 2019-20 Southwestern Showdown. The Mustangs have garnered three American Athletic Conference Player of the Year honors (Nic Moore 2014-15, 2015-16; Semi Ojeleye in 2016-17) and three AAC Sixth Man of the Year awards (Markus Kennedy 2014-15, 2015-16; Ben Emelogu II 2016-17). In the seven seasons in The American, SMU has 15 All-AAC selections. The program has been in the Associated Press Top 25 in four of the seasons, being ranked as high as No. 8. The Mustangs have at least received votes in the AP Top 25 in six of the past seven years. The Mustangs have three players in the NBA (Semi Ojeleye, Sterling Brown, Shake Milton), all were selected in the NBA Draft (Semi Ojeleye, Sterling Brown in 2017; Shake Milton in 2018). Several are playing professionally throughout the world including Ben Emelogu II, Nic Moore, Markus Kennedy, Ben Moore, Yanick Moreira and Jordan Tolbert. Â
Turner came to the Hilltop after a Final Four run at Wichita State (2013) as a member of coach Gregg Marshall's staff. The Shockers went 30-9, finishing second in the Missouri Valley and reaching the final of the MVC Tournament.
Prior to joining the staff at Wichita State, Turner worked one season as an assistant at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, serving as the program's primary recruiter. He spent the previous two seasons as an assistant at Hutchinson (Kan.) Community College. Turner helped lead the Blue Dragons to a 52-12 record in two seasons and advanced to the Region VI semifinals in both years, marking the first time since the 2003-04 season that Hutchinson advanced that far in the playoffs.
After stints at Redlands Community College and Panola (Texas) Junior College, Turner joined the staff at Northern Arizona for the 2007-08 season. He helped coach the Lumberjacks to a 21-11 season with a 12-4 record in Big Sky play. After a season at Northern Arizona, he served as an assistant at Cowley College, helping guide the team to a 29-5 mark and a trip to the Region VI title game.
Turner began his collegiate playing career at Hutchinson C.C., where he was an all-conference player in 1997-98 and 1998-99. He led the Blue Dragons to a 50-14 record in two seasons, advancing to the Region VI semifinals once. After a season at UT-Arlington, Turner finished his collegiate career at Oklahoma City University, where he later earned a bachelor's degree in criminal justice in 2003. He helped the Stars reach the quarterfinals of the NAIA National Basketball Tournament and then played professionally for Benneton Treviso in Treviso, Italy, before joining the coaching ranks.
He and his wife, Cassaundra, have two children, Kelis and Kenneth III (Kenny).
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