05/20/2026
Congratulations to Naiya! What an amazing accomplishment! When Naiya is not on the basketball court, you can find her on the pitch playing with our youth team. We are so proud of you!
A Bethel Park High School freshman will represent Ireland on the international basketball stage this summer after earning a spot on the national under-16 women's team.
Naiya Turner, 15, has made the final 12-player roster for Ireland's U16 women's team, which will compete in the European Youth Basketball Championship in Ioannina, Greece, Aug. 5-12. Turner, the only member of the team not currently playing in Ireland, will travel there in late June for training camp ahead of the tournament.
Turner, a 5-foot-10 combo guard, was born in Dublin and became eligible to represent Ireland this year — the first year she could apply. Her path to the roster began in October 2025, when her father, Jermaine Turner, brought her to an initial tryout. She returned to Ireland for a week at Easter for a second tryout before learning this week she had made the squad.
The family became aware of the opportunity through the Basketball Irish website. Turner's older sister had already returned to Ireland for college, and the family recognized a chance for Naiya to pursue the sport at an elite international level.
Basketball runs deep in the Turner family. Jermaine Turner, a 6-foot-5 forward, played professionally in Europe. Naiya's mother, who stands 5-foot-7, also played the game.
The family became aware of the opportunity through the Basketball Ireland website. Turner's older sister had already returned to Ireland for college, and the family recognized a chance for Naiya to pursue the sport at an elite international level.
