Evan Turner Is the Best Player in the 2010 NBA Draft

In naming Evan Turner the TSW Men’s College Basketball Player of the Year, we weren’t too shy in saying that Turner is not just the best college basketball player, but the best player overall.

Yes, that’s right. We think he deserves to be the first player drafted in the 2010 NBA Draft; this despite the fact that this draft has been called the “John Wall Lottery” since December.

However, Evan Turner just brings more to the table than Wall does in our opinion. He is a better decision-maker, he’s taller, and he’s a better shooter. Most importantly, Turner can play three positions in the NBA, and if he gets stronger, he may be able to play four.

Of course, I’m not the only who feels this way. David Thorpe of ESPN.com seems to have come to the same conclusion we have. Here he is explaining why Evan Turner may be a better pick for Minnesota than John Wall:

The T-Wolves drafted Ricky Rubio and Jonny Flynn at the No. 5 and 6 spots last year. Flynn has been OK this year and looks to be at least good enough as a scoring point to get 15 to 25 minutes a game in the second unit. Or he could improve enough to earn the full-time starting position. However, he’ll have to battle Rubio, who has been terrific at quarterbacking Barcelona, his team in Spain, to a final-eight appearance in the Euroleague. (That series is about to start.) In the ACB, Barcelona is in first place with a 25-2 mark. In all, Rubio is 39-3 as the starting point guard in the two best leagues in the world after the NBA. And he’s 19.

Sure, the Wolves could draft Wall, play Flynn behind him, trade Ramon Sessions (whom they signed as a free agent last summer) and move Rubio, too. Maybe those deals would work out well. Or they could draft Turner, who’s a perfect fit at the 2 next to Flynn and Corey Brewer, their lottery pick three years ago who is currently playing out of position at the 2. Turner’s passing skills fit perfectly in the triangle offense, and help complement Flynn’s nose for scoring. He and Brewer could be excellent wingmates for Rubio as well. – David Thorpe, ESPN.com NBA Draft Blog

You can read the rest of his piece at ESPN.com if you have an ESPN InSider account.

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