After a brilliant college career, which saw Turpin set several SEC records, Turpin was considered a draft disappointment in the 1984 NBA draft class, which is considered by many to be the greatest NBA draft class in history (Hall of Famers from the class include Hakeem Olajuwon, Michael Jordan, Charles Barkley, John Stockton and Oscar Schmidt - in the NBA, Jordan performed a rather famous dunk on Turpin). Turpin's relatively lackluster play in the professional ranks earned him many condescending nicknames, including Dinner Bell Mel and The Mealman. Other nicknames he obtained over his career include Big Dipper, and in Spain, El Mel and El Mucho Grande.