The Sixer Sense
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Philadelphia 76ers: Top 10 Sixers busts since 2000

By Uriah Young

Dec 31, 2017; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Philadelphia 76ers guard Ben Simmons (25) and guard Markelle Fultz against the Phoenix Suns at Talking Stick Resort Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 31, 2017; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Philadelphia 76ers guard Ben Simmons (25) and guard Markelle Fultz against the Phoenix Suns at Talking Stick Resort Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports /
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Evan Turner: Top 10 Sixers busts since 2000

Philadelphia 76ers
Dec 20, 2013; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia 76ers guard Evan Turner (12) passes the ball under pressure from Brooklyn Nets guard Deron Williams (8) during the second quarter at the Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Howard Smith-USA TODAY Sports /

There are plenty of prodigious NBA players drafted number two overall. Jason Kidd, Kevin Durant, and Ja Morant come to mind. In the 2010 NBA Draft, the 76ers would have no such luck with their first-round, number two pick.

Evan Turner had an impressive college career at Ohio State. During his junior season, he averaged 20.4 points, 9.2 rebounds, and 6.0 assists. He led the Buckeyes to a Big Ten Tournament victory and advanced to the Sweet 16 before losing to Tennessee. The Sixers were in need of another wing player to help Andre Iguodala with scoring and playmaking. Turner had the tools and experience, but things got off to a slow start for him.

For a rookie to average, less than double digits in scoring is expected – unless you’re selected second overall ahead of dozens of other prospects. In his first year, he barely averaged seven points. He also averaged 3.9 boards and 2.0 dimes. He only played 23 minutes a night, but that is no excuse for a number two pick not to produce.

He did boost his scoring average to 17 points by the 2013 season, but his shooting percentages were abysmal. From the field, Turner shot just 42 percent and a putrid 31 percent from beyond the arc while playing in a Sixers uniform.

He was an integral part of the 2011 playoff run where the Sixers defeated a Derrick Rose-less Bulls team only to lose to a stacked Celtics team in the conference semifinals. Though he averaged double figures in the Boston series, Turner was traded in 2014 with Lavoy Allen for an injury-plagued Danny Granger and a 2015 second-round pick.

Turner had a stellar career at Ohio State, but his NBA career could not match his college success. Over a ten-year span in the NBA, he managed to accumulate $98 million in salary with several teams.