Many felt early on in Evan Turner’s rookie campaign last year that he was going to be a complete bust. He struggled very badly in summer league, was horrible in exhibition games, and couldn’t ever seem to adjust to the NBA schemes on offense. His ball handling went to waste because he didn’t understand where he was supposed to be on the court, and he looked confused at times.

That has changed this season in his second year, and a big reason why is because he is hitting his shots, to make it quite simple. Magic coach Stan Van Gundy joked about it, saying “When guys hit their shots, people think they are playing well, and then when they don’t, people think they are playing poorly when they are doing the exact same thing but just missing the shot.”

So it has gone for Turner. This season, due to improved shooting mechanics, Turner is shooting 45.2% from the field and 73.5% from 9 feet and closer, up over 20% from that figure last season. That means Turner is hitting the shots he should hit. He is not, however, hitting his threes, as he shoots a very poor 21% from behind the arc. He can improve that, though, as many NBA players have become very good shooters who had no jumper early in their career (points in case, Jason Kidd, Nick Anderson, et al.,).

Turner says he is :”more comfortable with it (his shot)…and mechanics are the key…I get my shot off quicker now.” That is essential, and good shooters realize that a quicker shot means a more open and more clean look at the basket. Anyone at all familiar with the best two three point shooters in NBA history, Ray Allen and Reggie Miller, knows that both have extremely quick releases and were able to get off shots that were on-balance while winding off screens. As to whether Turner can ever reach that level of competency is anyone’s guess, but all indications are that he may put in the hard work to do so.

Turner is averaging 6.2 rebounds per game in his 26 minutes a night, which ranks him among the top rebounding guards in the league. That value is important and helps the Sixers prevent second chance points, which is one of their strengths as a basketball team on a regular basis.

So, for all of those doubters early on, I would think most are starting to realize Turner is going to have at least an above average career and not be a bust. I am reserving judgement on whether or not he can ever become an all All-Star, but I could see Turner averaging 15 to 18 a game at some point, possibly as early as next season. For right now, he is putting up 14.0 points per-36 minutes. That’s not too bad for a guy most were saying lacked the aggressiveness to ever succeed at the NBA level.

Turner has been compared from everyone to a pre-injury Brandon Roy to an offensively deficient Eric Snow, but the truth probably lies somewhere in the middle. Turner is not going to be a liability offensively like Snow, but he also won’t be a deadly closer like Roy was before his knees betrayed him.

We’ll keep an eye on Turner, especially in keeper leagues. If you lack a solid fifth keeper or sixth in a 5 or 6 keep league, Turner could prove to be an option this season. Since most keeper leagues don’t require owners to declare their keepers until the days prior to the draft, we can keep an eye on Turner’s progress this summer and even in through the early part of the exhibition season before making a ruling on whether we keep Turner or a player who has already posted a slightly higher value.

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The NBA All-Star Game is about a month away. The festivities will start on February 23 in Orlando, Florida. As a Philadelphia 76ers fan, there hasn’t been a whole lot of reason to be excited about the actual game. For the most part, 76ers players have not had involvement in the game for a long time. Outside of Allen Iverson, it feels like forever since we have seen a 76ers player appear in the All-Star Game. Could that change this season? I would love to say it would, but I don’t see it happening.

The early returns for the fan voting are void of any 76ers players. We can forget about any 76ers player being voted in as a starter. The center will be Dwight Howard. The guards will be Derrick Rose and Dwayne Wade. The forwards will be LeBron James and either Chris Bosh or Carmelo Anthony. That’s about as predictable as saying the summer months will be hot. The only hope that the 76ers have of sending a player to Orlando would be if a reserve is chosen.

There is a possibility that the coach of the All-Star Game could be Doug Collins. The 76ers could push to have the best record in the conference by the time of the deadline, though that is fairly unlikely. I’m going to assume that Collins is not named the coach. That would seemingly hurt the chances of any 76ers player landing an All-Star spot but maybe it shouldn’t. There are a couple of players that could wind up being excellent additions to the roster.

Spencer Hawes seemed like a surprising choice for a backup up center spot after his strong start. But his injuries have likely ended those hopes. Realistically, the two players that have a shot at making the team are Andre Iguodala and Lou Williams. Williams is the leading scorer on the team but he doesn’t start. He is also not the strongest defensive player. I don’t think he will hear his name called. But Iguodala has a shot. Though his numbers aren’t spectacular, he is one of the more complete players in the league. He does everything well even if he doesn’t do anything great. More importantly, he has adopted a great leadership role on a team that looks like a division champion. I think Iguodala will get a real look as a possible reserve on the team.

If I had to bet, I would say that no 76ers player would make the All-Star team. The best hope might be seeing Evan Turner participate in the rookie-sophomore game. That doesn’t generate a whole lot of excitement but it would be something. The NBA All-Star Game is a reward for superstars and the 76ers really don’t have one. But I do think there are future All-Stars on this team. Guys like Turner and Jrue Holiday will hear their names called one day. But for now, fans will just have to cross their fingers and hope Iguodala gets a surprising call.

* – Mark Paul is a Philadelphia resident and 76ers fan. Follow him on Twitter here.

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TORONTO — The Toronto Raptors have hired Ed Stefanski as executive vice president of basketball operations.

Stefanski was hired Wednesday. He will report to Raptors president and general manager Bryan Colangelo. Stefanski was fired last week as general manager of the Philadelphia 76ers. He had mixed results in four seasons, signing Elton Brand and Andre Iguodala to $80 million contracts and firing coach Eddie Jordan after one 27-win season. Stefanski hired Doug Collins, who led the Sixers to the playoffs last season, but it was too late to save his job.

Before he joined the 76ers, Stefanksi spent nine seasons with the Nets. He was promoted to general manager of the club in the summer of 2004 following a one-year stint as the team’s senior vice president of basketball operations and four seasons as the team’s director of scouting.

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

There have been some memorable moments in sports to happen on October 20. This was the day that saw the Philadelphia 76ers acquire one of their best players. It was also the day that saw the birth of the famous Fosbury Flop. Here is a look back at some of the most memorable moments in sports to happen on October 20.

1968 – The Fosbury Flop

The 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City were significant for a number of reasons. But one of the most famous reasons took place on this day. High jumper Dick Fosbury set an Olympic record and won a gold medal after his unconventional jumping style dazzled fans. The famous leap saw Fosbury land head first on the mat. The awkward looking move has become a part of Olympic lore in the United States.

1976 – 76ers get Dr. J

On this day in 1976, the Philadelphia 76ers acquired Julius Erving from the New York Nets. The ABA franchise sold Dr. J to the 76ers and helped Philadelphia build a successful era. Erving became a fan favorite and key piece of the 1983 championship team for the 76ers.

1992 – First World Series game played outside the United States

On this day in 1992, the World Series went north of the border for the first time. The Toronto Blue Jays hosted the Atlanta Braves in Game 3 of the 1992 World Series at Toronto’s SkyDome. The Blue Jays won the game 3-2 with a run in the bottom of the ninth. Toronto would go on to win the World Series.

1993 – 29 runs in World Series game

On this day in 1993, the Toronto Blue Jays defeated the Philadelphia Phillies 15-14 in Game 4 of the World Series. It was the highest scoring game in the history of the event. The game was back and forth but the Phillies eventually took a 14-9 lead. But Toronto scored the last six runs of the game in the eighth inning to steal the win. Strangely, Toronto got no home runs in the game while the Phillies got three.

2004 – Red Sox make history

On this day in 2004, the Boston Red Sox defeated the New York Yankees 10-3 in Game 7 of the ALCS. The win was the fourth straight in the series for Boston. They would become the first baseball team to erase a 3-0 deficit to win a series. Boston would eventually win their first championship since 1918.

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