Ryan Turell, the first Orthodox Jewish player to be selected in the G League draft, has embraced the opportunity to teach his Motor City Cruise teammates about his faith.
That work continued earlier this week when Turell and two other players met with students from four Jewish schools in the Detroit area to light the first candle on the menorah.
“Ryan Turell had the help of kids from four schools saying the traditional Hanukkah blessings and singing Ma’oz Tzur while lighting the first candle,” the Detroit Pistons tweeted along with a video of the event.
“It’s a great time to celebrate the holiday season, and I want to wish you a Happy Hanukkah,” Turell said in the video.
Turell, who ultimately hopes to become the first Orthodox Jewish NBA player, recently spoke with Fox Sports about how his first season as a professional basketball player is going — both on the court and off it. The former Yeshiva University standout is gradually getting more playing time as his teammates gradually learn more about his faith.
“For (Turell), the work occurs in the small moments. ... Answering questions around the locker room about the foods he can and cannot eat, or Jewish traditions, or the Bible. Knowing that for many of the people he comes in contact with, he’ll likely be the first Orthodox Jew they’ve ever met, and the responsibility that comes with that distinction,” Fox Sports reported.
Turell’s debut season in the G League comes as the NBA — and Americans in general — grapple with rising antisemitism. In late October, Brooklyn Nets star Kyrie Irving was widely condemned for tweeting a link to an antisemitic film and then refusing to apologize once he faced pushback for the tweet.
The league put out a statement of support for the Jewish community after Irving’s tweet. “Hate speech of any kind is unacceptable and runs counter to the NBA’s values of equality, inclusion and respect. We believe we all have a role to play in ensuring such words or ideas, including antisemitic ones, are challenged and refuted and we will continue working with all members of the NBA community to ensure that everyone understands the impact of their words and actions,” it said.
Irving was eventually suspended until he agreed to atone for his actions and issue a full apology.
On Sunday, when Irving and the Nets were in Detroit to take on the Pistons, the Pistons organization put up a “Happy Hanukkah” graphic on the scoreboard as Irving was shooting free throws. “The Pistons appeared to be trolling Irving,” the Jewish Telegraphic Agency reported.