Getty Evan Turner #12 of the Philadelphia 76ers drives against DeMarre Carroll #5 of the Atlanta Hawks.
There has been a lot said about Philadelphia fans throughout the years. It is a city that is extremely passionate about its sports teams and the hard-working and no-nonsense mindset of the people oftentimes is shown in their rooting interests. Many players have had extremely positive experiences during their time playing in front of the Philadelphia faithful and have made this widely known. The passion that is brought on an every-game basis is replicated by very few other cities around the country. However, there are some players who seemingly never grasp this attitude and fail to make the city a home as a result.
The Philadelphia Eagles recently picked up a victory over the Washington Commanders to advance to 3-0 to start the season. This was the first time that former Eagles quarterback, Carson Wentz, returned to match up with the team since being traded to the Indianapolis Colts in 2021. The conversation surrounding the treatment of the quarterback was covered a great deal nationally and former Sixers player Evan Turner chimed in to give his opinion.
I remember when everyone in Philly was on Wentz’s top when he was healthy, in the Mvp race, and winning games.
Some of y’all timelines don’t reflect that same energy lol
But I guess a “sports city” gone “sport city” 🤷🏽♂️
Evan Turner’s Time in Philadelphia
With the second overall pick in the 2010 draft, the Sixers selected Evan Turner after his impressive one-and-done season at Ohio State. The hope was for him to develop into Jrue Holiday’s co-star as the franchise looked to retool following the success of the Allen Iverson era.
Turner spent three and a half seasons in Philadelphia where he never lived up to his full potential. The best stretch of his career occurred in the first half of the 2013-14 season. During the 54 games he played with the Sixers he averaged 17.4 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 3.7 assists. Following this successful stint, he was traded to the Indiana Pacers along with Lavoy Allen in exchange for Danny Granger and a future second-round pick.
Turner bounced around the five different teams before retiring from playing basketball at the age of 31. He spent the 2020-21 season as an assistant coach for the Boston Celtics and currently hosts a podcast with Andre Iguodala called Point Forward.
Carson Wentz’s Performance
While there may have been a majority of Philadelphia fans in the stadium, Sunday’s matchup took place in Washington D.C. The Commanders quarterback struggled a great deal in the matchup as the Eagles cruised to a 24-8 victory. Wentz completed just 25 of his 43 pass attempts for 211 yards. He fumbled the ball twice and was sacked nine times by the Eagles’ defense which is the most he has ever been sacked in a game during his entire career.
For the most part, the reception of Wentz was warmer than many expected. He exchanged jerseys with his former teammate Jason Kelce after the game and was seen chatting with several other Eagles players prior to the game.
“I’m happy when he’s on the ground. Even though I like him”
-Jason Kelce on Eagles 9 sacks
Jason exchanged jerseys with Carson
The legacy that Wentz left is one of the more confusing ones in Philadelphia. He played a crucial role in the Eagles’ Super Bowl victory in 2018 but tore his ACL and was forced to miss the final three games of the regular season and the entirety of the postseason. His strong play when he was on the field certainly made an impact, but his exit from Philadelphia left a sour taste in the mouth of Philadelphia fans.
Neither Turner nor Wentz successfully adapted the Philadelphia mindset when they played for their respective organizations. The former Sixers guard is correct about Wentz’s success with the Eagles but not necessarily about his treatment. Regardless, it is surprising to see him be so outspoken in his defense. There are certain to be even more eyes on the reception of Wentz in Week 10 when he travels to play in Philadelphia in front of his former fans.