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Foundation to Combat Antisemitism
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To nominate candidates for the Ryan Turell Character & Inspiration Award, please send detailed bio information about the candidate to ryanturellaward@gmail.com. All nominations are due by March 1st.
Jadin Booth Awarded Inaugural Ryan Turell Character & Inspiration Award
Kansas City, MO – Small College Basketball is honored to announce Jadin Booth of Florida Southern College as the recipient of the inaugural Ryan Turell Character & Inspiration Award winner. The official announcement was made this afternoon at the Small College Basketball Social in San Antonio, Texas. The Ryan Turell Character & Inspiration Award is sponsored by the Kraft Family Foundation. Ryan Turell had this to say about Jadin Booth:
"Jadin’s selflessness, compassion, unwavering faith, and resilience in the face of adversity are truly inspiring,” stated Turell. “He exemplifies the very essence of this award—remarkable character and the ability to uplift those around him— and I could not be more excited for him to receive the very first Ryan Turell Character & Inspiration Award."
A native of Omaha, Neb. Booth started his college career at Nebraska – Omaha before transferring to Florida Southern College. During his redshirt freshman season, Booth appeared in 26 of 30 games, making two starts. During his second season at Florida Southern, Booth appeared and started in 27 of 28 games, averaging 35.3 minutes per game. During this second season at Florida Southern, Booth led the team in scoring, points per game, and assists. He finished the season with 25 double-digit scoring contests, with 17 20-plus point performances and four 30-plus point performances. In just one season, Booth had increased his scoring average from 7.3 ppg to 22.0 ppg.
During just the second game of his redshirt junior season, Booth suffered a severe injury that required major reconstructive surgery. Even at Booth’s lowest moment, his true character shined. Booth is a person of deep faith and he knew that he could handle this obstacle and adversity. A week after his surgery, Booth was on the bench cheering on his teammates as Florida Southern defeated #1 Nova Southeastern, snapping their 62 game regular season winning streak. Booth had this to say about being named the inaugural recipient:
"First off I have to give all glory to my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ for allowing me to be back on the court this past year and to have the year I did,” exclaimed Booth. “I would like to thank Ryan Turell for seeing me as fit for this award and I have the utmost respect for his game, the way he's handled himself the last few years, and of course all that he stands for. A huge thank you to John McCarthy and SCB as well for all the work that he does. This award would not be possible without the incredible help and encouragement from my family, teammates, Coach Donnelly and staff, Toni Cecil our AT, Paul my PT, and the best surgeon in the business Dr. Jablonski at Orlando Health. I have a different perspective now for the game and just how fragile our time is to be able to do what we love at such a high level. Receiving this award represents the community that I am apart of here at Florida Southern and the great support I received when I injured my knee. I had a lot of grit and determination to come back from it, but truly, it takes a large effort from a very good group of people, and I had just that and I am forever grateful."
After this devasting, season-ending injury, Booth made a remarkable, inspiring comeback during the 2024-25 season, leading the Mocs to a 26-9 record, and averaged 21.0 points per game, 5.3 assists per game, and 4.7 rebounds per game. He also led the team with 65 steals while shooting a remarkable 92.2% from the free throw line for the season.
Two years ago, Booth started a summer basketball camp back in Omaha to provide not only skills training, but character development as well. His camp strives to develop positive character traits that will empower kids to have success throughout their life even after their basketball career concludes. Both is not only committed to the younger generation, but he also donates a substantial amount of the camp proceeds to various charities. This past summer, Booth gave a check to one of his former teammates Noah Louis. Louis’s younger brother was diagnosed with a rare form of bone cancer. Booth donated to the Louis family to help offset their financial burden and costs. Caring for others is what makes Booth so special. Mike Donnelly, Head Coach at Florida Southern, had this to say about Booth:
“This is an incredible award and recognition for Jadin,” mentioned Donnelly. “Witnessing Jadin persevere and comeback from his devasting knee injury has inspired our entire basketball program. His work ethic, determination, and commitment to his faith has uplifted his teammates and coaches. Jadin is a special young man. He has represented our program with the utmost class and dignity over the last four years both on and off the court. We are very proud of Jadin!”
Booth has helped to create an incredible culture both on and off the court at Florida Southern. He leads weekly bible sessions with his teammates and coaches. His teammates and coaches join Booth at Church on Sunday mornings. He is active member at Grace City Church in Lakeland. Just as he leads on the basketball court, Booth has helped to lead his teammates spiritually as well.
Ryan Turell turned down multiple NCAA Division I offers to follow his faith and attend Yeshiva University in New York. During his four year career, Turell led the Maccabees on a historic 50-game win streak and helped the team become the #1 ranked team in all of NCAA Division III for the first time in school history. Turell broke the school’s single game (51), season (786) and career (2,158) scoring records, while shooting 58% from the field and 44.9% from the 3-point line for his career.
In Turell’s senior season he won the Travis Grant Award, given annually to the nation’s leading collegiate scorer averaging 27.1 ppg. He was named as a First Team All – American for three straight years by D3Hoops, and was named as a 2022 NABC NCAA Division III National Player of the Year. He then became the first Orthodox Jew to be drafted and play in the NBA G League for the Motor City Cruise.
Beyond the remarkable playing career, Turell became a worldwide inspiration and role model in the Jewish community at large and a hero in the Orthodox community. His play garnered global attention, while his charisma, character, smile and kindness made him among the most celebrated and recognized small college players of all time. Turell has become a beacon of hope and inspiration to the Jewish community – and far beyond.
The intent of the Ryan Turell Character & Inspiration Award is two-fold: 1) To keep the story and legacy of Ryan Turell alive and continue to tell his story to the next generation, and 2) To provide a national platform to honor a player that has faced adversity, handled it with tremendous character and perseverance, and ultimately became an inspiration and role model for others. We shall use the various platforms under the Small College Basketball umbrella to fulfill these intentions. For more information on Small College Basketball, please head to smallcollegebasketball.com.
To stay up to date on all things Small College Basketball, please head to smallcollegebasketball.com.
SCB Announces the Creation of the Ryan Turell Character & Inspiration Award
Kansas City, Mo. – Small College Basketball is very excited to announce the creation of the Ryan Turell Character & Inspiration Award under the umbrella of Small College Basketball. This award is proudly sponsored by the Kraft Family Foundation. The award was announced at the 2024 Small College Basketball Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony on Friday November 1st on the campus of Florida Southern College in Lakeland, FL. John McCarthy had this to say about the creation of the Ryan Turell Character & Inspiration Award:
"We are so honored and excited to launch the Ryan Turell Character & Inspiration Award, as this award has tremendous meaning for Small College Basketball, and beyond,” stated McCarthy. “Ryan is such a wonderful role model and inspiration, not just for the Jewish community worldwide, but for people of all backgrounds and faiths. We are grateful to Ryan and the Turell Family for their support of this award, and we fully intend to use the platform of this award as a force for good.”
The Ryan Turell Character & Inspiration Award will be presented annually to a men’s basketball player at the small college level that has faced adversity, handled great challenges with character and class, and ultimately became an inspiration and role model for others. Ryan Turell had this to stay about the creation of the award:
“I am incredibly grateful to John McCarthy and Small College Basketball for naming the Character & Inspiration Award after me,” mentioned Turell. “Small College Basketball has a very special place in my heart as it was not only the home to my college basketball career, but it helped me reach my goals on and off the court in sports and in life. Through my game, I had the opportunity to not only inspire and unite the worldwide Jewish community, but also bring awareness to the multiplicity of cultures that are united through sports. This award will be presented to a player that has faced adversity, handled it with tremendous character and perseverance, all the while uniting communities and inspiring people to succeed no matter where they came from or what they believe in. This award is bigger than basketball and I am excited to see which student athletes will be leading and inspiring the next generations.”
A native of Southern California, Turell turned down multiple NCAA Division I offers to follow his faith and attend Yeshiva University in New York. During his four year career, Turell led the Maccabees on a historic 50-game win streak and helped the team become the #1 ranked team in all of NCAA Division III for the first time in school history. Turell broke the school’s single game (51), season (786) and career (2,158) scoring records, while shooting 58% from the field and 44.9% from the 3-point line for his career. Yeshiva University Head Coach Elliot Steinmetz had this to say about Turell:
“There is not a more fitting name for an award that represents who Ryan is as a person than the Ryan Turell Character & Inspiration Award,” exclaimed Steinmetz. “Ryan’s makeup as a human being is what parents strive for in developing their kids. His approach, not just to basketball, but to life, diversity and challenge, is inspirational not only to the younger generation, but to those of us who are older and still learning every day how to navigate the world.”
In Turell’s senior season he won the Travis Grant Award, given annually to the nation’s leading collegiate scorer averaging 27.1 ppg. He was named as a First Team All – American for three straight years by D3Hoops, and was named as a 2022 NABC NCAA Division III National Player of the Year. He then became the first Orthodox Jew to be drafted and play in the NBA G League for the Motor City Cruise.
Beyond the remarkable playing career, Turell became a worldwide inspiration and role model in the Jewish community at large and a hero in the Orthodox community. His play garnered global attention, while his charisma, character, smile and kindness made him among the most celebrated and recognized small college players of all time. Turell has become a beacon of hope and inspiration to the Jewish community – and far beyond.
The award will be sponsored by the Kraft Family Foundation, and John McCarthy had this to say about this amazing partnership for the Ryan Turell Character & Inspiration Award:
“Importantly, I’d like to sincerely thank Mr. Robert Kraft and the Kraft Family Foundation for their sponsorship of this award,” stated McCarthy. “As part of this partnership, Small College Basketball is proud to promote the Foundation to Combat Antisemitism. FCAS has built a worldwide movement, inspiring people to move off the sidelines and join the foundation as active allies in this fight against hate. The Blue Square has been shared with millions of people in every corner of the world as the universal symbol for fighting Jewish hate, and ALL hate, and Small College Basketball will proudly distribute the Blue Square to help spread love, and fight hate."
The intent of the Ryan Turell Character & Inspiration Award is two-fold: 1) To keep the story and legacy of Ryan Turell alive and continue to tell his story to the next generation, and 2) To provide a national platform to honor a player that has faced adversity, handled it with tremendous character and perseverance, and ultimately became an inspiration and role model for others. We shall use the various platforms under the Small College Basketball umbrella to fulfill these intentions. For more information on Small College Basketball, please head to smallcollegebasketball.com.
Statement from Ryan Turell
First, I’d like to thank God for allowing me to play the game I love and for putting me in a position to inspire others. I am incredibly grateful to my parents for the foundation they gave me and their endless support and sacrifices throughout my journey.
It is a tremendous honor to have the Small College Basketball Character & Inspiration Award named after me. Small College Basketball has a very special place in my heart as it was not only the home to my college basketball career but laid the foundation for me to reach my goals on and off the court in sports and in life. In choosing Yeshiva University, my goal was to be part of something bigger than basketball—to both create a winning sports culture and to turn a program once underestimated into a national championship contender and inspire Jews and non-Jews alike to set their goals high, be committed to the hard work it takes to excel and great things can happen. This award will spotlight a player who has faced challenges head-on with strength and grace, inspiring others through their actions, regardless of their background or beliefs.
Sports is a great uniter of people, and I am proud that the essence of this award is much bigger than basketball. We hope this award serves as a testament to the impact we can have on others when we stay true to our purpose regardless of who you are, where you come from or who you worship.
Thank you to Small College Basketball, John McCarthy, Robert Kraft and everyone who made this possible. I am forever grateful.
- Ryan Turell