It will ultimately be viewed as a mistake that a team passed on Evan Turner for John Wall.

Here are my reasons:
1) I don't trust Wall off the court. He was on good behavior in his year at Kentucky but he did have some past problems including an alleged breaking and entering incident.
2) Evan Turner is going to get even better. He's a different type of player than Dwayne Wade but he reminds me a lot of him in terms of his career arc. Turner got significantly better throughout college. He was the 50th ranked player coming into college. He was arguably the best player in the whole country last year.
3) Wall may be a great player but I'd be concerned that he'd be a great individual talent similar to Iverson but ultimately not the kind of player that wins titles.
4) I think Wall came in with the hype of being the next great Calipari guard but I'd call his one year in college a little bit hollow. They dominated a weak conference where most of the games were played against overmatched teams. His team also had three other first round picks and yet they didn't even make the final four? That's not all on Wall but I think his talent advantage needs to be taken into consideration.

I'd also avoid Cousins for off the court reasons too.

For a sleeper pick, I'd go with Devin Ebanks. I don't know if he's a star but I think he's got a lot of talent and will fit in well in the NBA. Add Xavier Henry into the list too.

For a late second round pick role player, Luke Harangody is a decent pick. He'll be a poor man's Glen Davis, which is pretty poor but better than most drafted late.

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You do not talk to me like that! I work too hard to deal with this stuff! I work too hard! I'm an important member of the CSFMB! I drive a Dodge Stratus!

Thanks Nas

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team Mully & Hanley
team Meatpants

I think Wall will be a top 5 PG in this league in a few years. I see Turner's ceiling as something close to Ben Gordon.

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Pacers will take Harangody with the 10th pick if they can't package it in a trade for Chris Paul or any decent point guard.

Evan Turner is listed as 6-7.

If he plays like Ben Gordon with that body and that rebounding ability he'll be a perennial all-star.

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You do not talk to me like that! I work too hard to deal with this stuff! I work too hard! I'm an important member of the CSFMB! I drive a Dodge Stratus!

Basically Rip Hamilton. That's what a taller version of Ben Gordan is. I thought he was no taller than 6'5".

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He could be but I think Turner will be a very good rebounder in the NBA in terms of guards/small forwards.

I guess we'll see. Maybe Evan Turner will be like Beasley.

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You do not talk to me like that! I work too hard to deal with this stuff! I work too hard! I'm an important member of the CSFMB! I drive a Dodge Stratus!

Wall is the only guy from that KU squad that actually went to class. He actually committed himself to the classroom, not just the court. He had a GPA of 3.25 for the year. He is a point guard in what is quickly becoming a point guard heavy league. He’s a phenomenal athlete, in fact, twice the athlete that Turner is. Wall has great speed and good vision, especially in the open court. That is what makes him different. He has the ability to pass the ball really, really well and use his athleticism to get the rim almost at will. Turner can’t say that. That KU team was way too young to make a serious run at anything. Starting that many freshman wasn’t going to get them anywhere, they just didn’t have the experience. The fact that he played with another top 5 pick should indicate that he wasn’t forced to do it by himself and didn’t try to and that he’s a good team guy. He had the ball in his hands every trip down the court and yet he still was willing to pass and find the open guy and allowed Cousins to shine and turn himself into a top 5 pick (not that he wasn’t going to be one anyway, but you get it). Wall is very young and raw yet, and has the “upside”, even though I’m really NOT all about drafting a guy based on what he can do, I think it works here in this situation. Wall could be a destroyer of souls in the NBA.

I think Turner can/will be very good. He’s comparable to Brandon Roy, not Wade. He can play 3 positions and play them pretty well, which is really awesome and a big plus. But the problem is that we’ve seen everything he can do. He’s going to be a decent scorer, rebounder, and passer, but that’s it, he won’t be great at anything. We’re not going to all of a sudden see something amazing outta this guy. He is who he is. He has gotten better ever year, but I think he’s just a very regular player in an otherwise very weak college class.

Lastly, Luke Harangody is a much better scorer than Glen Davis. Much better. Now, I do remember Harangody going 0-fer in one of those last games he played, but sometimes that happens. Glen Davis can’t shoot like Harangody can, I think that’s a poor comparison.

Noted NBA guru Chris in Joliet had this prediction weeks ago.

Farve Fan laughed at him.

John Wall will be the next Earl Boykins

Ugie,
You may be right about Wall but you underestimate how good Turner actually is. What you describe is a borderline top ten pick. He's the clear #2 pick. He was better last year than Wall was and won player of the year awards because of it.

It's also still true in the NBA that the best point guards in the league aren't on the teams winning titles. Nash, Paul, Williams, Rose, and others aren't leading to titles. That may change but the league can't be called a point guard heavy league when the best teams are not point guard heavy. John Wall reminds a lot of people of Allen Iverson.

I think he'll be better than Brandon Roy. He may not be as good as Wade because that's a really high bar. I think that Evan Turner was special last year. He was a star especially once he got back in shape after breaking his back mid-season.

I also think that Wall's past is an under reported storyline with him. He may have been on good behavior at Kentucky but Michael Beasley supposedly was too. Now Beasley had more question marks but it's actually pretty similar. I'm not saying that Wall is going to murder someone or anything but if you are breaking into houses in high school should I expect you to be a model citizen when all the money and fame comes to you a couple years later?

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You do not talk to me like that! I work too hard to deal with this stuff! I work too hard! I'm an important member of the CSFMB! I drive a Dodge Stratus!

Or maybe he will be a top 5 player in the game like I predicted Durant would be or maybe he will be as good as I predicted Brandon Roy/Stephen Curry would be. Maybe it'll be similar to Tyson Chandler being better than Wallace. I guess we'll see. Pointing out the one I missed doesn't mean that you'll be right.

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I meant that me thinking the #2 pick in the draft will be better than the #1 pick will make me look foolish.

I never claimed I'm right because you did that. You've had some good picks too even though I think that I was with you on Durant and I know I was with Curry.

I did! http://score670.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?p=128326#p128326

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You do not talk to me like that! I work too hard to deal with this stuff! I work too hard! I'm an important member of the CSFMB! I drive a Dodge Stratus!

I would have taken Oden over Durant so I have no credibility

I've heard some "experts" already claim that John Wall is better than the Bulls' own Derrick Rose on the point. I'm not so sure I believe that.

I apologize. That has become the go to prediction whenever someone disagrees with me about basketball.

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Are you seriously going to condemn the guy for something he did in high school?

Yes. Why not? He's 19. He's a year removed from high school. It's not like he was guilty of a speeding ticket or something. He broke into someone's house. I'm sorry if I don't trust that he's totally reformed himself by spending two semesters at Kentucky with one of the dirtiest coaches in the entire country.

I don't believe that Cousins ever did anything like Wall is alleged to have done but everyone seems to question Cousins character.

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You do not talk to me like that! I work too hard to deal with this stuff! I work too hard! I'm an important member of the CSFMB! I drive a Dodge Stratus!

Wall committed the crime on April 27, 2009.

Is it really unfair to think that it's an issue that he committed a crime 14 months ago?

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You do not talk to me like that! I work too hard to deal with this stuff! I work too hard! I'm an important member of the CSFMB! I drive a Dodge Stratus!

I actually think really highly of Turner. I think he can be a really quality wing in the NBA plus he’s the got the size and speed to the play 1 through 3 and that’s always a plus when you can play AND defend several spots on the floor. My thoughts on Turner are just that we’ve seen what we’re gonna see from him, which is really quality play, but I just don’t know if he’s going to be a great scorer, or a great passer, but he’s going to be very good. What we’ve seen from both Wall and Turner is that Wall has some progress to make but his flashes have been pure brilliance. Whereas Turner is currently at his playing form, in my opinion, and that’s a guy who creates some mismatches, can shoot a little bit, and can get to the line a little bit. But I don’t think he’s ever going to be accused of shooting the lights out of the building or getting to the basket (and free throw line) at will. He’s the quintessential “Jack of all trades, but master of none” type of player. He does a lot of things well, but nothing great. However, there is something to be said for the guy considering that he came back from the broken back and went on to have a quality year.

You may also be right about Wall’s background. You mentioned in your first post that the breaking and entering was “alleged”. But being accused of B&E doesn’t mean anything, other than he’s been accused of B&E. That’s it.

And when I say “quickly becoming a point guard heavy league” I mean that we’re seeing point guards dominate the play in this league, maybe not winning championships yet, but dominating the play throughout the year. And that teams are trying to get guys with the type of skill sets that Rose, Williams, Paul, Nash and the like all have. The rules have changed in the league to allow the point guard to flourish, and that has caused teams to feel like they need that type of PG to compete on a nightly basis. Right or wrong, that’s where were headed. Scratch that, that’s where we are.

I was actually wrong. He admitted guilt but got put into a program for first time offenders that avoided the harsh sentencing you would normally expect. It sounds he was lucky that they took it easy on him.

As for what you say about Turner, we'll just agree to disagree. I saw a player at Ohio State that was able to carry a team and score at will. I'm also projecting that he's going to continue on his path of improving greatly year over year like Wade did. If he doesn't then I'm wrong and you are right.

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You do not talk to me like that! I work too hard to deal with this stuff! I work too hard! I'm an important member of the CSFMB! I drive a Dodge Stratus!

I believe if Turner is drafted by the Clippers he is fucked

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I'm going to bounce from the spot for awhile but I will be back at some point to argue with you about this hoops stuff again. Playoffs have been great this season. See ya up the road.

I'm out.

Hey Boilermaker. J.Wall was seen leaving an abandoned/half constructed house with his friends and subsequently given a bullshit B+E charge in Virginia (The same state that locked up AI when he was 1 of 300 people in a bowling alley brawl). They were prolly smoking a blunt or bowl or something. Like my friends and I have done in the past with similar situations.

Now I dont normally like to post predictions on shit like this cus injuries do happen (B.Griffin, G.Oden). I think you may have seen more Turner than Wall. Turner is closer to his ceiling than Wall. I dont know who will be better.

E.turner reminds me of a taller Brandon Roy. He could project out to a pippen like offensive player. J.Wall is very similar to D-Rose, but only is a better passer at this point.

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And when I came back with serious reasons why he would be better, Farve Fan just decided not to take up the discussion anymore. Oh well.

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I am with you. I think Wall is going to be real good, but who knows how it will all play out.

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"He is a loathsome, offensive brute
--yet I can't look away."

doug collins will be an interesting coach for this young corps. nas comparing him to ben gordon is pretty laughable. but i really do wonder about evan turner. i don't wonder about john wall.

I want you to tell me how my ass tastes in a few years.

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Uh oh.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/11/02/AR2010110207845.html

I think Turner will eventually be a really good pro.

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You do not talk to me like that! I work too hard to deal with this stuff! I work too hard! I'm an important member of the CSFMB! I drive a Dodge Stratus!

I thought of this thread when I saw Wall's stats

At one point Wall had 16 and Turner had 0

While Wall's injuries and turnovers have been an issue, Turner has flat out sucked

He's averaging 6.3/4.4 on 38% shooting