Every morning, we compile the links of the day and dump them here… highlighting the big storyline. Because there’s nothing quite as satisfying as a good morning dump.
Evan Turner was 5 years old when he bolted away from his mother on a Chicago sidewalk, straight into traffic.
Iris James didn’t have time to react, beyond blurting a quick, horrified prayer as her son was hit by a car. Impact knocked him into the air, and he landed head-first in the street.
But her plea was answered. The bloodied child got to his feet and stumbled back into his mother’s desperate embrace. Though no bones were broken, Turner spent two days in the hospital, and has a long scar on the top of his head as a memento.
Once some of the shock wore off, James found herself pondering a familiar question: What next? What more could possibly happen to her star-crossed son?
Starting as early as 4 months old, Turner was overwhelmed by a biblical chain of illnesses, starting with pneumonia. Measles, chicken pox and eczema followed. He was most comfortable lying on his back, but would start choking when he turned over. He often had trouble breathing. One time Iris brought him home from the doctor, only to notice that his eyes were deep red.
“Pinkeye!! Really bad pinkeye,” she said of her now 25-year-old son and Celtics forward.
By the time Turner was 5, he had trouble with fine motor skills, which led to a lot of physical mishaps such as falls, cut knees and lunging into traffic.
[…]Stevens, like Turner’s past coaches, wants to use every ounce of the 6-foot-7 swingman’s versatility, everywhere on the floor from point guard to small forward. And yes, he still must work on that jump shot. But the circumstances are different,.
“For sure, for sure it’s about finding the right fit in this league,” Turner said. “Coming from Indy, for sure it’s different (now), because I started here at the start of the year. I have the opportunity to carve out my niche with my teammates, coming in at the start of the season. I have the opportunity to really get it done in practice. In Indy we had a lot of games, back to back to back, and there wasn’t a lot of time for practice. It was still fun, but being here to carve out your niche from Day 1 definitely helps me.”
Boston Herald – Evan Turner turns boyhood tribulations, NBA critics into driving motivation
In a fascinating piece by the Herald’s Mark Murphy, we learn some details of Evan Turner’s rough childhood. From several physical ailments to his many speech therapy lessons, it’s quite the remarkable story for Turner to have succeeded as he has. And it’s a funny thing how he’s one of the players that is routinely on the end of tired jokes. But Turner is now relishing his chance here in Boston under Coach Stevens, and has, thus far in the preseason, seemingly found his niche in the league.
It’s early, of course, but he has been much better than advertised and the rate the C’s are paying him, could become one of the best bargains in the league. Problem is, in today’s NBA, most pundits and fans think if you can’t shoot (especially threes), then you are pretty much useless. Turner provides a little bit of everything and it’s good to see Stevens harness that.
On Page 2, Avery Bradley’s Maine development helped shape him today
The laughing stopped a couple of days later. Bradley, his confidence rebuilt after a nine-game stint with the team’s minor league affiliate, was having an eyebrow-raising practice. The Celtics were in 5-on-5 half-court drills late in the session when Bradley attacked the basket and threw down a dunk over center Kendrick Perkins.
Coach Doc Rivers blew his whistle and ended the practice on the spot. A walk-off dunk.The veterans just stared at Bradley, wondering what had gotten into him.
Sitting inside the locker room at Cross Insurance Arena in Portland, Maine, earlier this week as the Celtics prepared for an exhibition game in conjunction with the Red Claws, Bradley shook his head while reflecting back to the series of events that helped jump-start his NBA career.
ESPN Boston – Bradley: Maine man on a mission
Just a great story by AB, citing a dunk on Perk to spark plug his career. It should be noted that Perk was still returning from his ACL tear from Game 6 in the Finals the year before, so he was likely a bit rusty. Still, AB was a guy that was afraid to speak, let alone attack anyone when he first arrived. It’s amazing what one dunk, and some humbling work in the D-League can do.
And finally… James Young shows that he truly is 19 years old
James Young looked down at his sneakers and shook his head. They weren’t his basketball kicks, but a pair he refers to as “casual walking around shoes.”
Saturday was his first practice back after straining his hamstring two weeks ago, but, he said, “I don’t want to call it a practice.”
“I got to run a little bit, did some few light things. I didn’t have the right shoes so I couldn’t actually play,” he said sheepishly after the workout at Baruch College.
Showing off his age, the 19-year-old Young forgot to bring his basketball shoes to practice.
“I kinda messed up on my part,” he said, “but I had to pay the consequences and use my casual shoes. These are killing my feet. My feet are hurting.”
MassLive – James Young practices in wrong sneakers, but could return to lineup against Brooklyn Nets
Sigh. Auto accident (ok, definitely a mulligan on that), pulled hamstring and doesn’t notify anyone (yeah not a good idea) and now forgets his basketball shoes. Ahh the perils of being 19 in the NBA. Young is literally young but these things are all learning experiences he’ll need to figure out real fast.
The rest of the links:
Boston Globe – Jared Sullinger is having some deep thoughts | James Johnson discovers his role in the NBA (Sunday Notes) | Celtics guard Rajon Rondo joins the circus | Steve Pagliuca loves spicy food and a Michigan hideaway | On the brights side, no negatives
Boston Herald – Wcy Grousbeck’s wish defused| Celtics Notebook: Will Bynum might not suit up for Celtics
CSNNE – Report: Celtics likely to waive Bynum | 3 Pointers: C’s will be seeing a lot of Nets
NBA.com – Celtics’ Stevens has work cut out for him in second season
Patriot-Ledger – Taking a look at Celtics’ rotation possibilities
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