Maryland transfer George Turkson brings high energy to Terrapin Program

Turkson and his teammates are poised to ignite a new era for Buzz Williams, driving a culture shift that is energized. Williams will actively blend his talented newcomers to spark unity from day one, building a legacy from the ground up.

"Our motto is 'starting from ground zero,'" Turkson told Brendan Hartlove of Maryland Sports Radio in a recent interview. "Making sure everybody knows what it is, staying on the same page so there's no confusion. We just want to focus on us, making sure our groundwork and foundation are right."

He lit up as he explained how his teammates electrify the locker room and drive intensity in practice, sparked by a passionate coaching staff.

"They help set the standard because it's the same coaching staff," Turkson said. "We kind of have a little cheat sheet going on. It's like, 'All right, this is what the coaches want, this is what they expect.' That plays a big role in chemistry building."

The 6-foot-7, 220-pound Turkson redshirted last year at Texas A&M. At Maryland, he will play in a region where he feels he can become the hard-nosed, high-effort player he aspires to be—one who does the dirty work—like his hometown of Lowell, Massachusetts. Being around both old and new teammates also helps his transition.

"Especially being from Massachusetts, it honestly feels like coming home," Turkson said with a grin. "Getting to know the guys, having coaches I already trust—it’s made the whole transition easy and exciting. I can't wait to attack the court with these guys and soak in every moment of this journey."

Finally, Turkson fired up Terp Nation with his promise of what’s to come over the next four years.

"Hard-nosed, blue-collar, great energy, team player. Shooting and rebounding are probably the main things they can expect from me."