Turner promises ‘fun ride’ for Sixers fans

Evan Turner isn’t fazed by expectations, pressure or demands. The third-year Sixers guard is only pushed by one thing: working hard.

“You get out of something what you put into it,” Turner said. “I don’t worry about pressure. I don’t worry about expectations. You can’t please everybody all the time. You have to keep things together and just keep working as hard as you possibly can, listen to the coaches and improve with your teammates.”

Turner was the No. 2 pick in the 2010 draft. Naturally, there were immediate expectations because of his draft status. At times, Turner plays at a high level. Other times, he struggles with his shot.

“You have to keep things in perspective,” Turner said. “As a rookie, no one put more pressure on me than me. I wanted to do everything perfect and please everybody. I realized you can’t do that. I look at the pressure now as good pressure. I have goals for myself, but my main goals are team goals. I want to win.”

Turner developed quite a bit last season and averaged 5.8 rebounds per game — not bad for a guard.

Even more impressive was his performance in the playoffs. He played fearless basketball and showed he was ready to take the next step.

“Evan stepped up in the playoffs for sure,” said Thaddeus Young. “He was all over the place on the court.”

Turner came back for his third season and saw so many new faces. He’s excited about the roster movement and where this team can go.

“Getting a big man like [Andrew] Bynum is huge, and we did so many other good things in the offseason,” Turner said. “I think once we get comfortable with each other, things will really click. It’s going to be a fun ride.”