 "Photo: Andy Gottesman / The Lantern")
Evan Turner will trade in his scarlet and gray for Philadelphia red and royal blue.
The Philadelphia 76ers made the reigning national and Big Ten Player of the Year the second pick in the 2010 NBA Draft Thursday night. The Washington Wizards selected Kentucky product John Wall with the No. 1 pick.
In his junior season at Ohio State, Turner, who led the Buckeyes to regular season and conference tournament titles and to the Sweet 16, averaged 20.4 points, 9.2 rebounds and 6.0 assists per game. He recorded just the second and third triple doubles in the program's history.
Turner suffered a pair of broken vertebrae in his back after a nasty fall against Eastern Michigan on Dec. 5. After doctors initially projected an eight-week timetable for his recovery, Turner returned to the court just one month later. His swift recovery helped resurrect OSU from the Big Ten basement and on to a conference crown.
The 6-foot-7-inch swingman brings experience at multiple positions to Philadelphia, where he will join forces with young point guard Jrue Holiday and wing player Andre Iguodala.
Turner primarily played point guard during his junior year, but has also played shooting guard and small forward.
The 76ers finished the 2009-10 season 27-55. The team replaced coach Eddie Jordan with Doug Collins.
The selection of Turner marks the fourth consecutive year that at least one Buckeye has been chosen in the first round of the draft. Last year, B.J. Mullens was drafted 24th overall. In 2008, Utah took Kosta Koufos with the 23rd pick. Greg Oden, Mike Conley and Daequan Cook were all selected in the first round of the 2007 draft.
Turner's former teammate Mark Titus was drafted by the Harlem Globetrotters on Tuesday.
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