Mark Titus was right about Evan Turner. Completely, 100 percent, dead on the money correct.
I have spent way too much time over the years trying to wrap my head around what Evan Turner is, philosophically and metaphorically. What he's meant for Ohio State basketball, Thad Matta's legacy, the general composition and makeup of the teams that Ohio Stat has had, and so on. And I should probably just stop, because it's a fool's errand. Evan Turner was and is utterly unknowable, probably even to himself, and the only person who has ever perfectly described him called him "The Villain."
Mark Titus- Don't Put Me In, Coach
Because that's what he is.
Thursday, Ohio State announced their 2016 Athletic Hall of Fame inductees and unsurprisingly Evan Turner's name was on the list. Seeing as how he's already had his number raised to the rafters of the Schott, this is simply the final step in cementing his Buckeye legacy. Officially, anyway, because to be honest I really do not care about university Hall of Fames and retired numbers, especially where Evan Turner is concerned.
If you're even a casual Ohio State basketball fan, you know what Turner was able to do in Columbus. Player of the Year nationally, points points points, came back from literally breaking his back in 50 pieces, two triple-doubles... wait. Three. Well, four triple-doubles. If we're being honest.
Evan Turner on why he should go No. 1 over John Wall: "Not to be arrogant or cocky, but I won every player of the year award."
— Michael Lee (@MrMichaelLee) May 20, 2010
In March of 2010, Ohio State was locked in a titanic struggle in the Big Ten tournament with a mediocre Illinois team. They were understandably gassed from a slobberknocker against Michigan the day before, which Turner had won with a ridiculous 37-foot buzzer beater that most people associate with him even today. Which is fine, I guess, but truthfully his game against the Illini was probably the epitome of who this guy was and is.
I'm going to briefly ignore the 31 points, 10 rebounds, and 6 assists that Turner put up that day in favor of a 3-minute and 58-second sequence late in the second half. It starts with Ohio State with a relatively comfortable seven-point lead with about 5:30 left to play, and Evan Turner turning the ball over and then committing a foul immediately afterward. Illinois gets a two on their next trip with the ball, and it is now 59-54 Buckeyes. The lead is looking a little more precarious, especially since Turner gives the ball away again on the next possession, which Illinois converts into points.
From this incredible collection of Evan Turner quotes.
The score is 59-56 Ohio State. Turner misses a three, Kyle Madsen screws up a tip-in off an offensive rebound somehow, and the two teams trade off being dumb for the next 30 seconds or so. Turner hits a free throw but misses a two as Illinois' Mike Davis nails a layup and soon after a free throw to make it 60-59 Buckeyes.
This is where it gets fun.
After William Buford mercifully hits the first Ohio State field goal in about 7 minutes (coming on the heels of yet another Mike Davis jumper), Evan turns the ball over again, which directly leads to Demetri McCarney's three-ball putting the Illini up 64-62. The two teams trade a few points to make it 66-64 Illini, and then this happens to send it to overtime:
Evan Turner is awesome. In the two OT periods that Ohio State needed to put away Illinois, ET had 11 points and dominated in a way that only he could, in a game that only really necessitated overtime because he experienced a 4-minute long brain fart. His excellence and ability to come through in the clutch is matched only by the thickness of his skull, and the combination of the two makes him The Villain. Not just to his opponents, but pretty much everyone.
Oh, and that triple-double we never talk about? 31 points, 10 rebounds, 10 turnovers, which is a hilarious stat line until you realize that was actually the second time he got a 10 turnover-assisted triple-double, and then it becomes even funnier.
Evan Turner in the running for sweater MVP tonight. #Celtics pic.twitter.com/k0EziUeZec
— J A R E D W E I S S (@CLNS_JaredWeiss) January 5, 2016
Such is life when you're Evan Turner! There was something undeniably fun about watching a person play the game of basketball with immense talent and absolutely no shame or doubt that he's the greatest player on earth. It's a kind of endearing arrogance that you would probably get tired of really quickly if Evan Turner was your boss at Staples or holding up the line at Chipotle, but in 30-second bursts on TV he is one of mankind's greatest treasures. It's really hard to dislike someone who genuinely loves themselves as much as Turner does, and I mean that in the most sincere way possible.
For example, while Turner has had some NBA success, he's been a mostly mediocre role player on some very bad teams during his career. Which has not stopped him from suggesting that he be the new face of the NBA, or throwing a ball at a ref in a freaking preseason game, or addressing the likelihood of his coach being on drugs for asking him to come off the bench this season, or any of the thousand other ridiculous things that he does and is on a regular basis.
So yeah, while it is super easy and entertaining to make fun of The Villain (and let's be clear, he very often deserves it), I unironically respect the hell out of a guy who, as Deadspin put it, "is never not feeling himself." I don't have that kind of self-confidence in my life, you don't have that kind of self-confidence in your life, hell, Kanye West going to a mirror convention doesn't have that kind of self-confidence in his life.
And jokes aside, I respect the hell out of that. Well, maybe "respect" isn't the best word for it, but genuine amazement and appreciation, maybe? It helps when you're a ridiculously wealthy and talented 27-year-old, but dammit if we couldn't use some Villainy in all of us from time to time. The ability to look causality in the eye and say "NAAAHHH THIS IS HOW IT'S GOING DOWN TODAY" is a rare one, and even ignoring all the points and accolades and buzzer-beaters, Evan Turner should be in the Ohio State Hall of Fame simply for being the zen-master of earned arrogance.
Or, as he put it after that Illinois game:
"Sometimes you just have to will your way and make things happen and that's it."
Damn right. Sure, that's kind of a dumb thing to say given the context of the game but... well, damn right. Reality is what we make it, and if in your head you're Michael Jordan times 20, then yeah, sometimes you make that pass to Steve Kerr and feel awesome about it.
