Turner just wants to play ball
After two frustrating seasons, Sixers swingman Evan Turner is ready to put that all behind him and just prove he is ready to shine.
Turner just wants to play ball
Bob Cooney
Evan Turner has a chip on his shoulder. He feels the fans anxiety about his play - so far not living up to that of a No. 2 overall choice. His frustration level over his first two seasons has reached a boiling point several times.
But now Turner, entrenched as the team's starting small forward and expected to play bountiful minutes, is ready to put all of that behind him and just concentrate on what drives him - playing ball.
Monday at the team's practice facility at Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, Turner fidgeted when asked if this was a "make or break" season. He didn't care for the question as he, quite frankly, didn't think he was given the proper chance to prove his worth. He was stymied in a reserve role in most of his first two seasons as coach Doug Collins went with shooter Jodie Meeks over Turner. It wasn't until last year's playoff run that Turner started getting the minutes he expected from the day he was drafted out of Ohio State.
"I basically sat for two years," Turner said. "I have time to make up and get my rhythm back. Fitting in and playing situational minutes for two years, that takes a toll on your game. I’m just trying to find my niche, keep getting better and find my rhythm.
"I knew I was going to play in the playoffs. I knew that was coming I knew two or three months prior to that. I might not have played that much during the season but playoff comes and my number gets called because I can play like that. I remember certain situations (that will help him this season), playing against great wing players like Paul Pierce and Rip Hamilton and Ray Allen. I remember how poised they were. They kept chucking away the whole game. In certain game Paul and Ray might not have been on fire but when it came down to it they hit big shots and made big plays. (This summer) every time I worked out I OD’d and made sure I was dead by the end of the day."
So far this season, Turner seems to have taken on a role of leader, vocalizing to new teammates more than he ever has in the past. He seems stronger, absolutely more confident and, above all, more settled in his role. And his teammates have impressed him mightily so far.
"I think these practices (the past week) were better than all the ones my past two years, to tell you the truth," he said. "There’s competition every single day, everybody is going at each other. People are more hungry. I’m not saying guys in the past weren’t but spots were solidified and everything like that."
And now his spot is solidified.
"The one thing is I’m just playing basketball. If I see someone open I’ll kick it and if I see my own shot I’ll go get it. This is how I always play," Turner said. "It’s just change – change of scenery, change of personell. Spots were solidified the past two years no matter what. Whether somebody played better or whatever those teams just made sense in how they were."
Wow what am I missing? I watched the ET video on NBA.com and sorry guys just don't see the arrogant cocky kid that warrants all the hatin' I read on here. He was mostly being confident and real, answering the questions he was asked by Cooney or Mitchell and some of the questions were actually pretty dumb. At one point he was asked if "he is in a comfort zone now being a starter"? How should he have responded "No I'd much rather come off the bench behind Jodie Meeks?" Please....
His 'attitude' is actually quite refreshing...haven't seen one like it around here since the early AI days. Maybe some of his 'cockiness' will rub off on Bynum.
ET will be in the running this year for Most Improved Player...mark it down.— PhillyBill- I guess you never noticed the body language or the waving of the white towel in Iman Shumpert's face?...Fact is, it is a huge season for ET, as he does stand to have the ball in his hands a ton in the early going...As fans, we want the best,but rehashing negatives from past seasons (really, he didn't see the floor?)does NOT endear him to those who feel he needs to be more than he has been. — bearsfriend
- another dude who will burn out at the end of the year and not be worth the dollars in his contract. He will quit playing and start making the daily news like iverson used to do in his hey day. THese guys are not programmed for the long haul and wind up driving a cab within a year with not a penny left of the big contracts. They will become legends in their own minds.— rduexpress
- Confusious say: A chip on your shoulder is better than chips in your elbow...— scootch
- Evan, you were out of shape. that's why u didn't get PT. even though u were the most talented guy on the team, it's not enuf. Shut up and play. PLEASE.— fillyfan
- Turner is a tool and a loudmouth. I hope they don't overpay this nimrod like they did Iguodala. I can't believe there are people who actually think this no-talent can play.— PokerBrat
- Well now that Iggy's gone it looks like the nitwits and haters have found a new guy to start campaigning to run out of town. That didn't take long.— dave13
Wow, I had no idea when I was the first to comment that everyone would pile on. This will all play out on the court. With this being a team option year his play will dictate whether the FO sees him as a long term component of this team. Regardless of whether you're a Turnerite or anti-Turner let's resist the urge to beat our chest and proclaim our brilliance based on a handful of games. If he has a few good games let's not call him the next big thing and if he has a few bad games let's not burn him in effigy. By the middle of January we'll all have a sense of what he is.— mtairy1- I'm willing to withhold judgement on his game until January. I won't withhold judgement on his antics, demeanor and interviews if they are detrimental to the team
- mtairy1, your last post was the best post on here.— NorthPhillyTechie
- Wow people, relax! There is a LOT of Evan Turner hate here. He was successful in college because he handled the ball. It took him three years to reach the pinnacle that resulted in him being drafted #2 overall. Joining the Sixers, he had to suddenly find a way to play without the ball, come off the bench, play around Iguodala, live up to the #2 hype, all while getting inconsistent minutes. Still there are positivies about him that we should make us all very optimistic. For one, he is tenacious and showed that killer instinct that most players do not possess. Secondly, he is clearly very serious about being the best player he can be and he is bigger and stronger than last season to prove it. Third, his confidence level is a necessary intangible with this team. I like a guy who is pissed off about losing! Now, he has a full honest chance to show what he brings to the table... and he will succeed, because that is what his track record shows. So relax and back off a bit!— Al3000
- ET really brings out the passion in Sixer fans. Have to admit, I love it. I think he is a very good player with strengths and flaws. I am a pretty big fan of his, but understand some being upset by his chatter. Bring on the season and lets take a look!— Bobby V
- He said it right. On this team he will finding who he is again. This team will be ran by Holliday and the focal man could be him or better yet Bynum. There will be plays for him depending on how DC wants it to be. At this point he will get the time to shine but for you and me we are on the outside he's on the inside who do you think would know better.— jazzy50
- Okay, as one who has tried to be optimistically objective when looking at ET over the past 2 years, I am really just hoping he can be the player he thinks he can be in this league. That should make us all very happy. Just as a side note, I noted several times last season, I crunched the season stats myself and found that Turner produced a lot better when given 30 or more minutes. In those games he average 14.8 ppg on 48% shooting. Against winning teams the scoring was up to 17.1 to go with 7.9 rebs and 3.1 ast. Unfortunately TO's were slightly up, too. For those saying he got more minutes than Lou or Thad have to recognize he's a different type of player that needs more time (even from game to game)— ericthered1
- Just in case you missed my earlier response to your kooky stats. Please explain these numbers that you didn't factor in to your brilliant hypothesis
Playoffs - 13 games, 34.5 mins per game, 11 ppg, 2.5 apg, 2.3 topg, 36% fg, 0% 3pt
Last I checked the Bulls and Celtics were good teams and he did play over 30 min per game. So what happened?
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.
