Shooting guru Magee getting a new pupil in Sixers' Turner

When the Sixers drafted Evan Turner with the No. 2 pick last June, they took a player who, in college, could get wherever he wanted with the ball in his hands. Problem was, the Sixers wanted him to play shooting guard. Problem is, Turner just isn't a good enough shooter to be a starting "two" in the NBA.

Not yet. Enter Herb Magee.

Magee, of course, is the legendary coach at Philadelphia University who has amassed 922 wins in his 44-year career there. As a player, he was for years the school's all-time leading scorer with 2,235 points.

If there is one area of expertise in Magee's vast basketball knowledge, it is shooting. He has wowed at camps for years and years, made videos and taught many NBA players the art.

Now it's Turner's turn. The two will get together at some point during the offseason and see whether they can fix what Turner calls "a hitch" in his jumper.

"I haven't really seen him all that much, I don't watch as much as a lot of people," said Magee, whose team finished the regular season 15-11. "He doesn't get a lot of shots. Sunday night, I think he had eight. Other nights, it's three or four. And I'm not sure where he's shooting them from.

"What we'll do is get in the gym and I'll watch him for quite a while. I'm sure he's a good shooter, probably not great, but good."

I've known coach Magee for so long and know what kind of a great teacher he is, especially when it comes to shooting," Collins said. "The thing is, if the two of them can get into the gym together and coach Magee can see how Evan shoots and what corrections can be made, it's a win-win situation.

"It's so good to have someone who is in the area that can be such great help. With coach Magee being in the area, there's a chance that he'll be able to see Evan after they've had their time together and get word to him one way or the other if need be. When you have a resource like coach Magee in the area, I think you'd be pretty stupid not to use him."

As for Turner, he didn't really know much about Magee, but is excited to learn.

"I've heard that he is the shooting professor, a guru," Turner said. "I know that I have a little hitch in my shot, but it's something that can be corrected, and I'm going to learn from one of the best. Anything I can do to help my game, I'm for it."