Good first day for Sixer players at All-Star weekend
Andre Iguodala and Evan Turner had fun, productive days on the first day of All-Star festitivites in Orlando on Friday.
Good first day for Sixer players at All-Star weekend
Bob Cooney
First Sixers swingman Evan Turner set a World's record, then Andre Iguodala showed his fun side, and finally Turner had an impressive performance in the BBVA Rising Stars Challenge at the Amway Center Friday night. All in all, it was a very good day for the two Sixer players down here representing their team.
In the morning, after his Team Chuck practice (named for GM Charles Barkley) at the Orange County Convention Center, Turner made 14 shots from behind the basket in one minute and set a Guinness World's Record. It was official, as a Guinness rep was on hand to verify. It was also short lived as Minnesota rookie guard Ricky Rubio broke Turner's new record about an hour later.
"I've always wondered, how can I get in the Guinness Book of World Records," said Turner, who was sporting a very loud pair of sneakers for the event. "If that's one of the ways to get a shot up...You know, they're scarce around our parts.
"It's been fun down here. There's been a lot of moving around. But it's been fun. Great weather the guys are good and I've just been enjoying myself. I've got to see a couple of good friends in Paul George and Gordie Hayward, good guys like that."
Turner, who possesses a magnetic personality, certainly is in his element down here with all the hoopla that surrounds the All-Star Game. In the Rising Star Challenge on Friday night Turner scored 16 points and grabbed 11 rebounds.
Iguodala, who will be making his first All-Star appearance in Sunday's game, was very upbeat, almost giddy, during his interview session with the media yesterday. He answered the usual silly questions - like if he had super powers, he'd want to be invisible and be able to fly - but also talked of his team's recent struggles (the Sixers have lost five straight). He is confident the team will be able to turn around their recent misfortunes, obvisously, and is looking forward to getting back with his teammates. He also did very well in an NBA All-Star quiz that was asked of him by a reporter (?). The toughest question being about a line from a Disney movie (we are in Orlando, after all).
Told that players like Kobe Bryant and Dwight Howard had commented on how deserving he is to be in his first All-Star game, Iguodala said that Bryant was still his favorite player to watch in the league and "I would like to go on record and say I would like to play with Dwight." Howard, of course, becomes a free agent after this season.
Early Friday morning it was announced that former Sixer Chet Walker, a member of the 1967 championship team, often considered the greatest team ever, would be inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame. Former Sixer guard and coach Maurice Cheeks was also named a finalist to be inducted. The inductees will be picked during Final Four weekend.
"I don't have a lot of knowledge about Chet Walker, but I think he's right in front of me in (Sixers' career) scoring. I think he's ninth and I'm 10th. I know a lot about Maurice Cheeks, though."
ET played great in the game, 16, 11 and 7... He has the IT factor and i hope Josh Harris was watching this game so we can trade Iggy and start jrue and et... We are not getting past the 2nd round. Our new management has to face reality— mikegtown2- GO SIXERS tho... Et is a star in the making, ball handling, passing, skill set, mid range and can play d... build around him, jrue, lou and Thad— mikegtown2
- ET played a great game in the all stars good. It showed that
His natural position is point guard.— Tayyib - This wasn't a real game, it was a show. There was no defense played, did any of you bums even watch that instead of just looking at a stat line? Means nothing, Evan Turner is a bonafide stiff and has been since day 1.— brmorgen81
- Miserable idiot. College player of the year and 2nd overall pick is a stiff. Go kill yourself. — beegal99
- They were having fun.ET was in a great mode/mood and it showed..THE MAN -from the cavs
was/is something else.— HO HUM - This wasn't a breakout game for Turner and he's not a stiff. It was simply an entertainment game. I would really like to see him propel the Sixers second unit into an undenieable force since it is believed that Turner, Thad and Lou Williams could be starters on a lot of other teams. When he can take that group to the next level that will be a better gauge on him.— nceagle
- Even though there was no defense played last nite, it's pretty apparent that Turner's best when the ball's in his hands. Most of all, if you move him to the point, he doesn't need to shoot. Ergo, let him guard the opposing shooting guard because of his height. Makes absolute perfect sense. Holiday and Brand to the Lakers for Gasol and Fisher. Move Williams into starting lineup, Turner to point.— beegal99
- I hope Collins watched that game last nite and realized that he has to take the reigns off Turner and let him play.— beegal99
- Around and around on the rim it goes, will it drop in or spin out, nobody knows! Just sayin'...— DJ
- Turner is at his best when he has the ball in his hands. Hopefully Doug Collins can understand this.— ldt6143
- And the thing is.. he actually has gotten much better at shooting. He was extremely consistent earlier in the season (thank you Coach McGee)— sixers_610
- thanks to charles for picking him and mo cheeks for starting him. two great sixers who seem to think well of the young man. 8/9 shooting, 11 rebounds (in a "no defense" game) and 7 assists. he played well out there with cousins, favors, wall, etc. enough of a break-out to show every other team in the league what he can do when he's out of the doghouse moving the rock. probably the best time to trade him.— rzzzzz
- I just heard that the Sixers are adding another promotion to Friday's
50th anniversary celebration of Wilt Chamberlain's 100 point game.
They are giving away free tickets to any woman who had sexual relations with Wilt. The game is being moved to Lincoln Financial
Field to accomodate the large crowd.— wayneman - Not real game but ET did show some flash, good vision and surprising athleticism, getting 3 nice dunks in a short span of time. If anything I came out of the weekend wishing the Sixers could pull the trigger on a trade of Iggy for Gay and get a scoring small forward (or start Thad). I'm tired of this middle of the road stuff. I think the ownership needs to do something to make a splash the second half of the season.
— ericthered1
Bob Cooney has been at the Daily News for more than 20 years, working in the sports department for the past 15. This is his third season on the Sixers beat. He has covered just about everything, but mostly college basketball, where he was the La Salle beat writer for six seasons. E-mail Bob at cooneyb@phillynews.com and follow him on Twitter.
