2013 Offseason Training Program: Evan Turner

In this series, we’ll examine each of the Sixers under contract for the 2013-14 season and one aspect of his game he could work on during the offseason.

The first three parts of this series looked at a specific statisical aspect of a player’s game and how he could incorporate an improvement into his style of play.  With Evan Turner, we’re going to be a little more abstract with our advice.  The artist formerly known as ‘The Villian’ needs to stop complaining to the refs every single time a call doesn’t go his way. 

Evan Turner is the guy in pickup basketball who called a foul whenever he drove and missed his shot.  Everyone else would shake their heads but rather than start some big argument, you just let his team check the ball up top.  Whether it’s the AAU culture or his standing as BMOC at Ohio State, Turner has it in his head that he’s the greatest thing to hit the hardwood since Naismith hung up those peach baskets.  Whatever the cause, you couldn’t watch 5 minutes of Evan Turner gameplay without seeing him in the face of an official, yapping about how he got hit when one of his head-down, barrelling drives to the hoop ended with a shot off the top of the backboard.

Besides how obnoxious it comes across to fans, there are tangible detriments this behavior causes for Turner and the Sixers.  Most obvious is that while Turner is busy complaining to the refs, his designated defensive assignment is streaking down court uncovered.  Countless times throughout the season, you saw Turner whipping his head around to say something to the referee under the Sixers’ basket as the opponent was already outleting downcourt to Turner’s man.  I’m surprised Doug Collins never tore a rotator cuff windmilling his arm around in pleading Turner to get back on defense. 

The other effect is that officials get annoyed with Turner and actually don’t give him some calls he likely deserves.  There were certainly occasions where Turner got hit on his way up but the whistles remained silent.  Now, technically referees are supposed to call the game to the letter of the law; however, they’re human just like anyone else and eventually just tune a guy out when he’s always complaining to them.  It’s a little bit of a ‘boy who cried wolf’ scenario.  So Evan, next time you have the urge to say something to the official, just get back on defense.  You’ll be helping yourself as well as the team.