Ronny Turiaf (born January 13, 1983 in Le Robert,
Martinique) is a French basketball player for the
Los Angeles Lakers of the NBA. He also plays as a
member of the French national basketball team.
Turiaf is most notably known for his aggressive play
and his dance routines at the sidelines used to
support and invigorate his teammates. Due to his
personality, he is often referred to as the Lakers'
best cheerleader, though he admits he does not like
the title.
Ronny Turiaf spent most of his childhood in
Martinique, an island in the Eastern Caribbean Sea.
Following the advice from his father, Turiaf moved
to Paris in 1998, at the age of 15, to attend Insep
(National Institute of Physical Education), a school
that combines rigorous secondary education with
elite-level athletic training. In 1999, he made the
French under-18 national team, and in 2000, he
helped lead the team to the European title with
future NBA stars Tony Parker, Boris Diaw, and
Mickaël Piétrus.
In 2001, Turiaf left France after accepting an offer
to attend Gonzaga University in Spokane, Washington,
USA, where he played for four years. In his
sophomore, junior, and senior years at Gonzaga, he
was named First Team All-WCC. Additionally, in his
senior year (2004-2005), he was named as the
conference's Player of the Year. He ended his
college career as the fourth all-time leader in
scoring and rebounding in school history, with 1,723
points and 859 rebounds, respectively. He averaged
13.6 points and 6.8 rebounds per game through his
four years at Gonzaga, but led the WCC averaging
15.9 points, 9.5 rebounds, and 1.9 blocks per game
as a senior. He graduated from Gonzaga with a degree
in sports management and communication.
