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PLAYERS
Biography: Expected to be taken no lower than second overall, Turner could be the first name called if the team ending up in that spot
feels he's a better fit than projected No. 1 overall pick John Wall of Kentucky. It didn't take long for Turner to announce
he would skip his senior season at Ohio State after taking home the Wooden and Naismith Awards, as well as The Associated
Press player of the year. He may be the most versatile player available, capable of being used at the point as well as the
shooting guard and small forward positions. His length and ability to get to the rim along with a nice shooting touch provide
the makeup of a future superstar at the offensive end. Turner averaged a Big Ten-leading 20.4 points this season, and shot
51.9 percent from the field to rank second, as did his 9.2 rebounds and 6.0 assists per game. What makes him even more valuable
are some intangibles - he's clutch, tough and very likable. Turner returned after just 4 1/2 weeks - about half the time he
was expected to miss - from breaking two bones in his back in December. The Buckeyes were 3-3 without him and 29-5 with him,
including a Big Ten tournament title run that included his game-winning 37-foot buzzer-beater as well as a double-overtime
win in which he had 12 of his 31 points after regulation. Maybe Turner's only weakness is he could afford to become a better
long-range shooter. However, he is a very good ball-handler and is more than capable defensively, having finished among the
Big Ten leaders in steals each of the past two seasons. It seems Turner could be a triple-double threat throughout a long
NBA career which should include many All-Star appearances.
![]() David E. Klutho/SI
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