Wayne Turner

[Way Of The Ray <wayray@ix.netcom.com>]

I envision a role for Turner similar to Greg Anthony's in Portland.
      Boston Herald    

      Turner signs on with C's to stay at home
      by Mark Cofman 
      Wednesday, August 4, 1999
      No, Rick Pitino doesn't observe a quota for former Kentucky players on his 
      roster. It just seems that way sometimes.
      The Celtics coach, a day after sending ex-Wildcat Ron Mercer to the Denver 
      Nuggets in a six-player deal, announced the Celtics signed free agent 
      point guard Wayne Turner to a one-year contract yesterday.
      ``When we looked for a third point guard (with Kenny Anderson and Dana 
      Barros) for our franchise, the most essential thing for us was to find 
      someone who could make the players around him better on the court, think 
      defense over offense, think winning over losing, obviously, and to be a 
      competitor,'' said Pitino.
      ``Wayne Turner epitomizes everything I've just said. He offers something 
      we need - someone who looks to make the team run efficiently and someone 
      who takes high-percentage shots. No one really does that better than 
      Wayne.''
      Turner, a former Beaver Country Day star from Mission Hill, was a prize 
      recruit of Pitino's at Kentucky. He went on to lead the Wildcats to three 
      national title appearances and eclipsed by three Christian Laettner's 
      record at Duke for NCAA tournament game appearances with 151.
      Turner enjoyed an outstanding week at the Shaw's Pro Summer League that 
      concluded on Sunday, but Pitino remained somewhat vague each time the 
      subject of signing Turner came up. He didn't want to appear to be playing 
      favorites with ex-Kentucky stars, particularly with free agent point 
      guards Kevin Ollie and Jerome Allen also turning in solid performances.
      ``His relationship with me both hurt him and helped him,'' said Pitino. 
      ``It hurt him in terms of having to prove beyond a shadow of a doubt (that 
      he belonged) because I did not want to come across in a bias fashion. I 
      care too much for him on and off the court.
      ``So I let everybody else observe him in the LA Summer League and here in 
      Boston.''
      What they saw was a gifted player deserving of NBA employment.
      ``Boston is my home and this is definitely where I wanted to play all 
      along,'' said Turner. ``I thought it might take a little longer (to get 
      the deal done), but obviously I'm delighted it's official.
      ``For me, as a kid growing up in this area, playing for the Celtics is a 
      dream come true.''