Evan Turner, Andre Iguodala discuss their dissatisfaction with Sixers
Former Philadelphia 76ers forwards Evan Turner and Andre Iguodala had a solid time as members of the Sixers. Turner averaged 11.5 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 3.2 assists while in Philadelphia and Iguodala averaged 15.3 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 4.9 assists while being named an All-Star in 2012.
With that being said, the team didn’t have much success. Iguodala and Turner both made the playoffs during their time in Philadelphia, but they both had early exits. The furthest both players ever got was Round 2 while in Philadelphia.
Both players hopped on “The Old Man and the Three” and they discussed their dissatisfaction in Philadelphia with the lack of success under the older regime. Turner also touched on his experience with “The Process” era under former GM Sam Hinkie.
Iguodala on his time with the Sixers
They got new ownership, new management, so I’m comfortable with saying this now, I didn’t realize until I left that the organization wasn’t trying to win. So what do you do in that scenario? You got to be selfish, right? Because now you said it’s a survival. I gotta eat. I’m going to my contract year…but they’re mad at the players for going out there trying to get their numbers.
Turner on The Process with the Sixers
Publicly saying, ‘Oh, we’re about to tank’. You go up to Sam Hinkie and it’s like ‘Yo, I’ve been working my whole career to battle to get here. Yeah, I give a (expletive) about—I called (Turner’s coach at Ohio State) Thad Matta and said ‘Yo, should I leave? And go overseas?’ Like, I didn’t know what to do. I said ‘Bro, I can’t go and we’re not trying to win’. I was at home crying. We sit there and we show up and I’m like ‘Sam, can I talk to you about my future?’ And shouts Sam Hinkie, whatever like it’s business. ‘I got five minutes for you’. To talk about my (expletive) future? So we started talking about certain stuff. I would love to do that, but when we enter all this stuff, it’s a business of basketball that you forget about, and then when you sit there as well and you remember at the level of being a bust the unknown and scary…I don’t think I was above but I’m talking about starting off at the level of the unknown of being on that level was scary and being like, yeah, which way are we going to go so when sometimes when it comes to that certain level of like trying to trust people, or trust adults that are supposed to guide you in the right direction.
More Turner on the Sixers
And I’m not the only one this has happened to in a sense that right now being like misguided, or none of that, because I’ve ended up in the NBA, but it’s just like, No, you’re gonna naturally protect yourself. When you break a bone and get hurt, that (expletive) is gonna swell up and try to protect whatever else is coming around. That’s your instinct of Darwinism. Now when you go up and start talking to people that have no clue about (expletive) basketball, over something you risked your whole life for and you care about it? You’re worried about some dude named Wiggins three years down the line. You understand what I’m saying? We talked about a lot of (expletive), but I’m talking about the human part.
The full clip
Please be advised that the clip below contains language that some might consider offensive.
