Josiah Turner Signs In Hungary, Can Learn Lesson From Reeves Nelson's Story

We now know the answer to the trivia question, which professional team did Josiah Turner sign after just one season in the Pac-12 at the University of Arizona.

The answer: Albacomp.

Turner's plan is apparently to throw his name in the NBA draft next summer, so it will be interesting to see how the 6'3 guard fairs in the Hungarian League after putting up 6.8 points, 3.1 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1.1 steals in 24 minutes of action for the Wildcats.

Typically the misconception for players making the jump from college to overseas is that there is tons of money to be had, they are going to "kill it" in Europe and then parlay their play into a big time deal somewhere in the NBA at some juncture.

Yet there could not be a more smoke-filled pipe dream unless it was packed by Cheech and Chong themselves.

While there is no doubt Turner has the athletic ability, the pro game overseas is much more physical and demanding coming fresh off of campus. Practices are more grueling and time demanding, living accommodations aren't always up to par in some countries, and although players can secure sound contracts to play pro ball abroad, guys have to prove themselves first.

And Turner will certainly have to prove himself, both on and off of the court.

The one constant regardless of the team in Europe: they have little patience for players who bend team rules or can't conform to the authority of a pro club.

At Arizona, Turner was suspended and benched for violating team policy, arrested for DUI and kicked off of the team.

"I am disappointed in Josiah for his actions," head coach Sean Miller said in a press release at the time.

"Unfortunately this suspension comes at a time of great excitement and opportunity for our team. However, the standards of our program will not be compromised under any circumstances. Hopefully, Josiah will learn a valuable lesson from this experience."

The chance to mature in a new culture and country now awaits Turner.

It will be an experience he will never forget.

Last season Albacomp-UPC Szekesfehervar finished with the second best record in Hungary before losing in the semi-finals of the playoffs. Damian Hollis is the other American import player on the roster as of right now and the forward out of Georgia Washington -- who is in his second season with the club after averaging 15.5 points per game last year - and will help ease Turner's transition.

But the one player Turner can probably learn the most from right now is another former Pac-12 player who also ran into troubles in college before turning pro early: Reeves Nelson.

Nelson had "behavioral problems" at UCLA and was dismissed by head coach Ben Howland. He then signed overseas in Lithuania with Zalgiris and much like Turner, the tattooed 6'8 forward planned to use his time as a pro as a stepping stone into the 2012 NBA Draft. Instead, Nelson was hit with a bit of a rude awakening in Kaunas.

In seven games with Zalgiris, Nelson averaged 2.5 points, 3.3 rebounds in 10 minutes per game.

He shot 28 percent from the field, went 0 for 5 from beyond the arc, and shot 56% from the line. His best game (the above clip) came against BC Astana where Nelson finished with 7 points and 7 rebounds in 11 minutes, an outing that somehow contributed to fans around Lithuania voting him into the Lithuanian Basketball League All-Star game.

The final scouting report out of Lithuania: unimpressive and inconclusive.

Still, Nelson was able to at least land a summer league gig with the Los Angeles Lakers. In three games, he averaged 4 points and 5.3 rebounds in 16.3 minutes per game.

If Nelson fails to be granted a training camp invite, it's back overseas he goes.

Will Turner be able to sign on with a summer league team by next July?

Will his NBA stock rise after one season in Hungary?

Will he learn anything from the growing pains experienced in Arizona and Nelson's own journey from LA to Lithuania and back to LA -- minus a $10-million defamation lawsuit he filed against Sports Illustrated of course.

Now is the time for Josiah Turner to answer some new questions.