In 2005 I remember seeing Allen Iverson cross up opposing defenders and drain his signature midrange shot. He was quite possibly the most electrifying player in the NBA. The Philadelphia 76ers team that ascended to the NBA Finals in 2001 valued Iverson as a player so much that they made a roster of defensive specialists to complement him: Eric Snow, Arron McKie, and Dikembe Mutombo. Rumored to only be 5'10" (although he's listed at 6'0") with electrifying speed and a killer crossover, he was to become a favorite player for me throughout the early to mid-2000s.
Wherever Iverson went I remained a fan for that team as long as he was on it. However, I remained a fan of the Philadelphia 76ers throughout that time and, to this day, the team that retired the legendary "3" of Iverson is my favorite team. Seeing an underdog team of Thaddeus Young, Andre Iguodala (to me, the second A.I.), Louis Williams and Jrue Holiday defeat the 2nd seeded Chicago Bulls in 2012 was one of my greatest memories from that year. Seeing Iguodala lose the 2006 Slam Dunk Contest to an arguably overrated Nate Robinson infuriated me to no ends.
Today, that very same franchise has a new owner, new team, and new vision. Each year they trade any bright players to be multiple years away again (Michael Carter-Williams and K.J. McDaniels). Today this beloved team has yet to win any of the games this season. While the astounding Golden State Warriors are 16-0 and have set an NBA record in the best start to the season, my Sixers are 0-16 and currently have an ongoing 26 game losing streak from last season, tying for the worst losing streak in NBA history.
When Sam Hinkie took over as the GM of the Sixers in 2013, he made his vision for the team clear with trading former all-star Jrue Holiday for rookie Nerlens Noel, who would not play that season. For him, the mission was one of embracing analytical stats and amassing young, promising players and draft picks. Since the Sixers Final appearance in 2001 the team has been mired in mediocrity, consistently being one of the last teams to make the playoffs in the inferior eastern conference. Of course, this meant that the team had to intentionally "tank" starting last season.
As a fan, I've had patience with his mission through the reward of watching the ever-changing players on this team. Although many lacked in talent one constant, despite the losses, was that this team played hard, like power-forward Jerian Grant. However, every season when it seems like there's talent and promise on the team, it is reset. At the trade deadline last season, turnover-prone but versatile point guard of the future Michael Carter-Williams and defensive-specialist K.J. McDaniels, two very promising players, were traded.
There's only so much patience for the moves that Hinkie has made. The effort of Coach Brett Brown and this roster are admirable and the team is certainly fun to watch, but they don't win much anymore. For the past three years only big men have been drafted or traded for with top picks: Nerlens Noel, Joel Embiid, and Jahlil Okafor. Attendance at games has been one of the lowest in the NBA this season, with average attendance at each game at the Wells Fargo Center averaging 28th of 30 teams in the NBA. Ultimately, despite the young talent on this team, there seems to be no hope in the near future while Hinkie's promises seem more elusive by the day.
To avoid being a "bandwagoner," I will stand by my favorite basketball team amidst these frustrations like how I perceive that a true fan would. But it's getting especially hard to do so.
