The label of being a former No. 2 pick has followed Evan Turner for six seasons. From Philadelphia to Indiana and now Boston, his name is closely tied to his draft selection.
The Sixers chose Turner one pick after the Wizards drafted John Wall in 2010. Derrick Favors, Wesley Johnson and DeMarcus Cousins were the next three selections.
Turner didn’t develop into an All-Star. He didn’t grow into the face of a team or become the go-to guy. For that, his high pick is frequently compared and contrasted to his numbers and accolades. And Turner is OK with that.
“I was a kid,” Turner said Sunday before his Celtics beat the Sixers, 120-105 (see game story). “I think I’m more confident now than I was then. Everything was so eyes-wide-open. I think I grew up and have a better understanding of myself as an individual. I don’t really too much worry about what anybody else thinks.”
The Sixers traded Turner in February 2014 to the Pacers, where he struggled to make an impact off the bench. That offseason, he signed with the Celtics.
Turner could've become another high-pick-turned-non-factor. Instead, he's found his niche in Boston, playing multiple positions and contributing as both a starter and reserve.
This season, he's averaging 10.0 points, 4.9 rebounds and 4.5 assists in 27 minutes.
NBA
“It’s controlling what you can,” Celtics coach Brad Stevens said of Turner. “He can’t control when he was picked. He can’t control how people to react to his game. He has to control what he can and be the best that he can on both ends of the floor.
"He’s been awfully good for us. I think some of that comes with age and understanding, and some of it comes from the experience that he’s gained from these four, five, six years in the NBA. So I’m really happy he’s here, I know that.”
Turner started his sixth game of the season Sunday against the Sixers. He finished with 17 points, nine rebounds and six assists in 35 minutes. Brett Brown has seen a change in Turner over the years and over the course of different teams.
“I think that less expectation, the weight of that, I think has set him free a lot,” Brown said. “I have a real soft spot for him because he’s got fantastic humor, he loves the game. … I just feel like the freedom to come in and play in a system that doesn’t demand and expect, ‘Hey, you’re the second player chosen.’ He took some hits in that early path. I see, like in a lot of young guys, they find their stride at a little bit later date. I’m proud of him.”
Looking back on his first NBA experiences with the Sixers, Turner said he didn't set expectations for his rookie year. He wanted to get his feet wet in the NBA and take his first season game by game. Six years later, he approaches the game with a more seasoned outlook but the same sense of humor.
"I tried to play the right way and play to my strengths," Turner said. "I think guys like Kevin Durant messed it up for me when they were averaging 30 and I was just averaging 15 or 16. I think my game has matured well."