Philadelphia 76ers President and General Manager Ed Stefanski announced tonight that the team has selected guard Evan Turner with the second overall pick in the 2010 NBA Draft. Turner was an early entry candidate for the draft following his junior season at Ohio State.
“We are very excited to select a player with the all-around skill and talent of Evan Turner,” Stefanski said. “We think he will step in from the first day and make an impact on this team on both ends of the floor.”
Turner (6-7, 214) swept the national player of the year honors from this past season, picking up the Naismith Trophy and the John R. Wooden Award along with the USBWA, Associated Press and NABC player of the year awards. He was also Big Ten Player of the Year and Big Ten Tournament Most Outstanding Player.
This past season, Turner led the Big Ten in scoring (20.4 ppg) and rebounding (9.2 rpg) while ranking second in assists (6.0 apg) and steals (1.7 spg). According to STATS, he became the first Division I player to average at least 20 points, 9 rebounds and 6 assists in a single season since Oscar Robertson did so in back-to-back seasons in 1958-59 and 1959-60.
Turner led Ohio State to the Big Ten Tournament title and helped the Buckeyes advance to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament. Ohio State finished the season with a 29-8 mark, winning 15 of its final 17 games.
