DESPITE AVERAGING a modest 9.7 points and 5.7 rebounds in just over 25 minutes, Sixers backup guard Evan Turner was invited to play among 17 other young talents in the Rising Stars Challenge on Feb. 24 at All-Star Weekend in Orlando.
Turner's status is not reflected accurately in his stats. The No. 2 overall pick in 2010, Turner is a key cog in the deep Sixers machine. Last year, he was not invited to play in the previous iteration of the game, called the Rookie Challenge.
"I stopped worrying about that stuff," said Turner, fitter and more polished this season.
"His numbers are not going to be earth-shattering, but he's playing on a winning team," said coach Doug Collins. "[Evan is] playing a vital role on a winning team. He's a versatile guy. To be recognized for that is great for him. It just reaffirms my feeling about winning teams and winning players and the recognition that goes with that."
"That definitely helps," Turner agreed, though, he said, "I've played well and had some big nights."
Collins, of course, has used the same logic in stumping for Sixers swingman Andre Iguodala to be included on the East All-Star squad. A defensive savant, Iguodala is third on the team at 12.8 points and 6.6 rebounds, but he leads with 5.2 assists and 1.76 steals.
The Rising Stars Challenge is a reformatted version of the Rookie Challenge, in which rookies played sophomores. Now, the rookies and sophomores will be mixed, the teams formed by a draft by team "general managers" Charles Barkley and Shaquille O'Neal next Thursday.
