Reggie Miller went against the grain before the 2010 NBA Draft. Notwithstanding the fact that almost everyone touted Kentucky guard John Wall as the deserving number 1 overall pick, Miller was extremely high on Ohio State’s Evan Turner, and advised the Wizards to take Turner over Wall with the top pick.
Right before the draft, Miller, during an appearance on The Dan Patrick Show, told Patrick there was “no way” he’d pass up on Turner (who was selected second by Philadelphia):
“…there’s no way you can pass up a talent like Evan Turner. He’s a combo guard. I think immediately, he’s going to be better than John Wall. There’s a learning curve for John Wall.”
Reggie may have missed on this. Not that Evan Turner is a bad player. He turned a bunch of productive seasons into a four-year, $70 million deal with Portland this offseason; although he’s only averaged around 11 points per game for his career.
Meanwhile, Wall has developed into the Eastern Conference’s premier point guard. The 26-year-old, and four-time All Star, has never averaged below 16.3 points or 7.6 assists. This season has been his best yet, as he’s averaging 23.2 points per game and 10.7 assists.
Odds are Miller would like to have this one back.
