SF Evan Turner (official thread)

[crazybuckfan40]

Originally Posted by BuckeyeTillIDie

He looks like a lottery pick to me. The kid has a ridiculous game.

I just hope we won't lose Turner, Mullens, and Buford to the NBA draft!

Just don't see it...Maybe next year, but right now there are just more talented guys out there, and guys with more potential that stand taller than him...

[Padraig]

One more season...develope his outside shot to go with his killer slashing skills...then welcome to the Lottery Mr. Turner. jmo

[LitlBuck]

Originally Posted by crazybuckfan40

Just don't see it...Maybe next year, but right now there are just more talented guys out there, and guys with more potential that stand taller than him...

No to the lottery pick or no that he will not leave early. I think as Padraig mentioned developing an outside shot went help him immensely. In addition, I think he needs to refine his ballhandling skills a little more but sometimes the money talks so I will await your opinion

[BrutusBobcat]

Right now, I think he goes a little ahead of where Cook did. Unlike Cook, I don't think there's a dissatisfaction issue or a pressing need to make money immediately. The higher contract and endorsement deals of being a lottery pick are worth the extra year, if that's what it takes. Or so I hope.

[Buckskin86]

Ohio State men's basketball: Turner relishes chance to play point
Matta might use versatile sophomore more in that role
Saturday, February 7, 2009
By Bob Baptist
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

Evan Turner smiled when it was noted how often he brought the ball up the court and initiated the offense against Purdue on Tuesday night.

"I've always wanted to play point guard," said Turner, a 6-foot-7 sophomore who leads the Ohio State men's basketball team in points, rebounds, assists and steals, not to mention turnovers.

"I grew up playing point guard. I just think it's fun, really fun, to be able to come off ball screens and create and make your teammates better.

"I'm sure I'll have the opportunity to play point guard further down the line with this team."

Further down the line might be no farther.

With starting point guard Jeremie Simmons in a funk for whatever reason Tuesday, coach Thad Matta played P.J. Hill more off the bench, and with Purdue's defense picking up the ball full court, Matta had it inbounded to Turner more than in any previous game this season.

Matta does not rule out doing it again.

The Buckeyes, on a three-game winning streak, play host tonight to No. 19 Minnesota, which limited them to 18 field goals and eight assists in a Gophers win a month ago in Minneapolis.

"I think a lot of it is going to be predicated on how we're playing, how the flow of (the game) is," Matta said yesterday. "It just sort of developed (against Purdue) and we sort of stuck with it."

Turner tied career highs with seven assists in the overtime win while also finishing with 26 points and 12 rebounds.

"I just try to help the team out," Turner said. "Coach thought I could use the (high) ball screen a little bit better and the offense worked a little bit more at that certain time of the game, so I had no problem moving to the (point) and just doing what he asked me to do."

BuckeyeXtra - The Columbus Dispatch : Ohio State men's basketball: Turner relishes chance to play point

[LitlBuck]

I would not mind seeing Turner play a little more PG especially when, if, Lighty returns. I am not thinking so much offensively but defensively with Turner, Lighty, Buford, and J. D. that would give our zone defense a lot of length which would make it that much better.

[crazybuckfan40]

Originally Posted by LitlBuck

No to the lottery pick or no that he will not leave early. I think as Padraig mentioned developing an outside shot went help him immensely. In addition, I think he needs to refine his ballhandling skills a little more but sometimes the money talks so I will await your opinion

I really don't know what Evan is thinking...I am just going off what I see in terms of guys in the draft and where I see Evan...

Guys I would have above Turner...

I think you put Turner at the SF in the NBA...Maybe SG, but right now he doesn't have the jumper...Yeah he can score, but at the NBA level the spin move and behind the back dribble are not going to cut it, and the stregth he is able to use to get his shots off against smaller guys, are going to be guys like Kobe, LBJ, Pierce, and then you want to start talking about the big guys in the lane, he hasn't seen anyone near the stregth of those guys...

Obviously the kid has a ton of talent...He could obviously go to the draft and end up in the 25+ range, but if he could add weight to his frame, work on his jumper, and most of all cut down on the turnovers and work on the dribbling skills and times, seeing hte open man, we are talking about a top 10 pick...It really depends on what Turner wants to do...Do I think he is ready for the NBA to be a starter and a star? No, but he could be a solid bench player and turn into a star in a couple years...Depends on if he wants to follow the Brandon Roy path or the Daquean cook path...

[MaxBuck]

Third double-double in a row for Evan tonight. 18 points, 10 boards, 5 dimes. Tremendous game.

[billmac91]

Originally Posted by MaxBuck

Third double-double in a row for Evan tonight. 18 points, 10 boards, 5 dimes. Tremendous game.

It was a nice game, and great "W".

But he needs to play smarter down the stretch. It really could have cost us that game. Up 6 with 3:00 on the clock doesn't call for turnaround jumpers from the free throw line with 25 on the shotclock, and forced penetration and difficult layups with 25 on the shotclock.

It lead to 2 misses, and 2 open shots for Minny.

It kind of dampened an otherwise very good game for Evan.

[crazybuckfan40]

I am with Billmac on tihs one...

I think he started off the game something like 1-7 or something...

He finished 4-14 and basically 1-1 asst/to ration at 4/3...

Obviously with the ball in his hands so much he is going to take that many shots, but there are guys open when the teams are collapsing on him, and we could be getting easy looks...Simmons has seemed to see mullens in the lane lately for easy ones, but he doesn't break his guy down that much, but Turner does, and with all the guys around him that can either get an easy dunk at the rim, or the shooters on the outside he could easily be putting up 6-7 asst/game...

Just some things that would improve his game that much more...His FT shooting is really what has stepped up a huge notch and is really getting him a lot of pooints...

[buckeyes_rock]

Originally Posted by crazybuckfan40

I am with Billmac on tihs one...

I think he started off the game something like 1-7 or something...

He finished 4-14 and basically 1-1 asst/to ration at 4/3...

Obviously with the ball in his hands so much he is going to take that many shots, but there are guys open when the teams are collapsing on him, and we could be getting easy looks...Simmons has seemed to see mullens in the lane lately for easy ones, but he doesn't break his guy down that much, but Turner does, and with all the guys around him that can either get an easy dunk at the rim, or the shooters on the outside he could easily be putting up 6-7 asst/game...

Just some things that would improve his game that much more...His FT shooting is really what has stepped up a huge notch and is really getting him a lot of points...

Totally agree. I think Evan is a tremendous player, but he tends to try to take matters into his own hands a little too much sometimes. There were a few times toward the end of this game where the moment he got the ball, you could just tell he was going to shoot it no matter what. He has the ability to dump it off and make great reads to his teammates. But I think he knows he's the leader of this group and just puts a little much on his shoulders sometimes.

You gotta like that at least he sees himself as the "go to" guy, but some of the shots he takes aren't the best. That pass he had to Madsen when he was trapped at halfcourt though...that was awesome though. Don't know how it sneaked through, but it did.

[crazybuckfan40]

the half court alley-oop to Mullens was his best pass tho...

[billmac91]

Originally Posted by buckeyes_rock

Totally agree. I think Evan is a tremendous player, but he tends to try to take matters into his own hands a little too much sometimes. There were a few times toward the end of this game where the moment he got the ball, you could just tell he was going to shoot it no matter what. He has the ability to dump it off and make great reads to his teammates. But I think he knows he's the leader of this group and just puts a little much on his shoulders sometimes.

You gotta like that at least he sees himself as the "go to" guy, but some of the shots he takes aren't the best. That pass he had to Madsen when he was trapped at halfcourt though...that was awesome though. Don't know how it sneaked through, but it did.

I'm not even concerned by his shot selection, as much as when those shots are taken.

He had an opportunity at the 3:00 mark to run 30 seconds of the clock, but instead decided to force a turnaround jumper from the free-throw line. If that shot wasn't bad enough, the next time down the court, after Minny nailed a 3 off of his own terrible shot, Evan decided to slash to the hole with 2:30 left up by 3, and force a terrible, contested, running layup with 25 on the shot clock.

I don't mind Evan's aggressiveness. I think tOSU is better when he looks for his shot, b/c otherwise the guys are out there playing patty-cake around the perimeter until theres 5 on the clock and they force it.

But you cannot be up 6 points under 3:00 and take the type of shots Evan decided too. Just not good decesion making.

Outside of that, Evan has carried this team, and has the green light from me all the time to be aggressive.

[Buckskin86]

Buckeyes' Turner Named Player Of Week Again
Monday, February 9, 2009



COLUMBUS, Ohio ? Ohio State guard Evan Turner was named the Big Ten's men's basketball player of the week for a second straight week, the conference announced Monday.

The sophomore led the Buckeyes with a pair of double-doubles in wins over ranked Big Ten foes last week in Columbus.

Turner averaged 22 points and 11 rebounds on the week to extend Ohio State's win streak to four games. In Tuesday's contest against Purdue, Turner netted six of his 26 points in overtime to aid his team to an 80-72 triumph over the Boilermakers.

Turner then carried over his clutch performance to Saturday when he connected on seven free throws in the final 64 seconds in Ohio State's 64-58 victory over Minnesota. Turner connected on 45 percent of his field goals and found his way to the free-throw line 26 times, making 18 in two outings.

He also handed out 11 assists to average 5.5 helpers per game.

WBNS 10TV : Buckeyes' Turner Named Player Of Week Again - WBNS-10TV, Central Ohio's News Leader

[OHSportsFan9]

Back-to-back Big Ten Player of the Week.

Impressive. Way to go Evan!