Good first day for Sixer players at All-Star weekend

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."