Stardom doesn’t arrive quickly for Turner

Still struggling to make his mark in the NBA, Philadelphia 76ers rookie Evan Turner(notes) recently went looking for a confidence boost. He found it in an all-too familiar place: by watching himself.

Turner popped in a DVD and studied one of his greatest collegiate performances: a 31-point, 10-rebound, six-assist effort during which he led Ohio State past Illinois in double overtime in the Big Ten tournament semifinals. Watching the game helped restore Turner’s faith that he’ll eventually realize the potential he showed when the Sixers made him the second overall pick in the 2010 draft.

“I think that guy is still there,” Turner said. “I think, as time goes on, I’ll get better. You can’t rush that kind of stuff. I understand that.”

“I started planting seeds the moment he was drafted,” Collins said. “We talked about the adjustment from college to pros and what goes with it. Coming into Philadelphia, I came in as a young player to a team that was 9-73. Right now with Evan, we’re trying to figure out where his best spot is going to be.

“He’s really not a prototypical [shooting] guard that you can run off screens because he’s not a great shooter. He’s really more comfortable with the ball in his hands.”

“I can’t really say what’s it’s due to,” Turner said of his struggles. “I’m just trying to adapt.”

Said Sixers forward Elton Brand: “It’s not like you’re a second-round pick where everything you do is a bonus. They’re looking for you to come in and help the team get victories when you’re a top-five pick. It’s a lot of pressure. He’s up and down just like any rookie is. Some days, he’s dealing with it well. Some days, it’s tougher than usual. But I think he’s going to fight through it and grow as a player from it.”
“I’m not giving up hope,” Turner said. “I know I can still play. I look back at my freshman year, and it took time for me to get warmed up, to get going.

“Everything is a process. The biggest part is patience. Sometimes people don’t like to wait.”