When the Indiana Pacers drafted Myles Turner with the 11th pick in the 2015 NBA Draft, they selected who they thought would become their franchise center.In his rookie season, he wasn’t asked to play a ton of minutes and showed a lot of promise, averaging 10.3 points, 5.5 rebounds and 1.4 blocks in 22.8 minutes over 60 games (30 starts).He took a step forward in 2016-2017, averaging 14.5 points, 7.3 rebounds and 2.1 blocks in 31.4 minutes over 81 games (81 starts). He also improved his field goal percentage (49.8 percent to 51.1 percent) and three-point percentage (21.4 percent to 34.8 percent).He seemed to be well on his way to a breakout campaign in his third season. But, it didn’t work out as planned. He dealt with a few injuries, but seemed to regress overall in 2017-2018, averaging 12.7 points, 6.4 rebounds and 1.8 blocks in 65 games (62 starts). He shot a career-low 47.9 percent from the floor and recorded a career-high 1.5 turnovers per contest as well. Heading into a career-defining season since an extension in Indiana (or restricted free agency) could be on the line, Turner made a shift in his mentality after the Pacers’ Game 7 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers this past season.

Dieting and yoga

“Cutting Popeyes fried chicken, Waffle House and Whataburger out of his diet and no longer devouring eight slices of pizza in one meal, Turner hired a personal chef; he has sculpted his body from 14 percent body fat down to nearly half that. In mid-June, Turner posted before-and-after pictures of his body, and new six-pack, on Twitter that went viral,” Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN reported.

"I took a look at myself in the mirror last season, and I was pudgy," Turner told ESPN. "I was getting tired a lot faster, and a lot of that had to do with eating fast food, eating pizza the nights before games. … Everybody told me about my diet, but last season it started to affect me. I guess getting older, my metabolism is not as high as it used to be. ... I was getting gassed.”

Youngmusik also reported that “Turner has spent the majority of his summer on a secluded ranch in Fort Worth, waking up when the sun rises and running before the Texas temperatures soar to triple digits, lifting weights and going through track and field and boxing workouts along with his individual basketball regimen.”

Turner didn’t just change his diet and increase his workouts, but he also has grown an appreciation for advanced forms of yoga.

"It is not normal yoga," said Joe Abunassar, longtime trainer of Kevin Garnett. "People have seen Instagram pictures of Myles hanging from a ceiling. He has to balance himself, hold and pose suspended off the ground like a Cirque du Soleil-type actor.”

Most of all, the 22-year-old big man wants to live up to the hype that surrounded him after he was drafted.

"The way I look at it, I have to be that presence for us to take that next step and be that team out of the East. ... I am going to do everything in my power to work hard and give the Pacers what they drafted. ... A goal of mine is to be an All-Star," Turner added. "I think that is one thing that every NBA player dreams of."

Judging by his new appearance, he might be in store for his best pro season yet.