Evan Turner 'Has Improved,' Says Hall Of Fame Coach Herb Magee

Hall Of Fame coach Herb Magee, a "shot doctor" who has mentored Charles Barkley, Jameer Nelson and Sebastian Telfair, among many others, spent part of the offseason working with Philadelphia 76ers wing Evan Turner.

"Turner has improved. He's learning how to play through a couple missed shots. He's willing to listen, a terrific, bright young man," Magee said during a phone interview on Wednesday.

Magee, who holds the NCAA record with 925 wins (and counting) as head coach at Philadelphia University, said he broke down Turner's shot and tried to build a more consistent approach. When the duo began practicing, said Magee, 12 to 15 out of every 50 shots Turner shot would be off-target to the left or right. But as the lessons began to pile up, Turner's aim improved considerably. Magee said that now, even Turner's misses are on line.

"Turner never lacked confidence. What we tried to do was get him to release every shot the same way," said Magee. "One thing really neglected in shooting is the proper follow-through -- players need to follow through correctly and follow through longer."

Magee is regularly approached by NBA agents looking for a shooting coach to aid their clients. Some of the players aren't necessarily open to Magee's lessons. He ignores those requests, preferring to concentrate on the players who are willing to heed advice. Magee said it was immediately clear that Turner was open to learning.

"Now he needs to get consistent minutes. It's tough when you play 10 minutes one night, 25 minutes the next," said Magee. "Doug Collins is a great coach -- it only took him one season to turn that team into a .500 club -- but he's a demanding one."

For more 76ers coverage, visit our team page, or our blog Liberty Ballers.