In a radio interview on WIP, Evan Turner talked to Howard Eskin and Ike Reese about his rookie season. Thanks to Sports Radio Interviews, we have the whole transcript of that discussion. Since Reese is a football player and Eskin is a toolbag, we didn't really benefit from any great insight in the short interview with The Villain. But here are a few selected quotes that caught my eye.
I wasn’t playing a few games or barely getting off the bench. I think those type of down moments helped me grow as a person and a player. That’s the best thing that could’ve probably happened to me. Not everything can be easy ya know.
I still don't buy into the idea of sitting Evan for an entire game but if it gave him a wake up call that he'll have to add things to his game if he wants to succeed outside of college, I suppose I can live with it. He's a tough kid. He's not going to complain about playing time or lack effort on the court.
I was just overly thinking every situation. How can I fit in since I don’t get the ball like I did in college and stuff? Lately I just said forget it, let’s go out there, just try and play my butt off, and chip in as much as I can.
It's unreasonable to expect Evan will ever get to handle the ball here like he did at OSU because of how integral Jrue Holiday is to the offense, but he should have more plays run for him now than he is. He's not rookie year Thaddeus Young that's a bundle of athleticism and rawness with nowhere to put it. He knows what he's doing. It'll take him some time to get to his peak, but he can contribute in a big way and Collins isn't using him enough so far.