50 Fun Facts About Philadelphia 76ers

Before moving to Philadelphia in 1963, the franchise played in which New York city?

Italian immigrant Danny Biasone founded the Nationals in 1946 for $5,000, and they were the last small-town team left in the NBA when they moved.

Nationals owner Danny Biasone is credited with proposing which rule change that saved the NBA in 1954?

He and GM Leo Ferris calculated that 24 seconds allowed at least 30 shots a quarter; scoring jumped 14 points a game and the Nationals won the title that first season.

How many NBA championships has the franchise won, counting its pre-Philadelphia title?

They came in 1955 as the Nationals, in 1967 with Wilt Chamberlain, and in 1983 with Julius Erving and Moses Malone.

How was the name '76ers' chosen after the move to Philadelphia?

Walter Stalberg's entry alluded to the signing of the Declaration of Independence in Philadelphia in 1776; 'Sixers' was quickly adopted for headlines.

Which NBA team had left Philadelphia for San Francisco a year before the Nationals arrived?

Investors Irv Kosloff and Ike Richman bought the Nationals to fill the void; the NBA had been gone from the city for just one season.

In their early Philadelphia years, the 76ers sometimes played at which Penn arena?

Most home games were at the Philadelphia Arena and Civic Center-Convention Hall; Dolph Schayes was player-coach that first year.

Which Philadelphia high school did Wilt Chamberlain attend before his pro career?

He also high-jumped 6 feet 6 inches there. The 76ers acquired him from his original NBA team during the 1964-65 season.

What record did the 1966-67 championship 76ers post, the best in league history at the time?

They started 46-4, ended Boston's eight-year title run, and were voted the best team in league history at the NBA's 35th anniversary in 1980.

Who coached the 1966-67 title team?

Chamberlain, Hal Greer, Chet Walker, Lucious Jackson and Wali Jones beat the Warriors in six games in the Finals.

Which arena became the 76ers' new home in the 1967-68 season?

They held a 3-1 lead over the Celtics in that year's semifinals and lost in seven.

What was the 76ers' record in the disastrous 1972-73 season?

Owner Irv Kosloff was so desperate for a coach he ran an ad in the Philadelphia Inquirer, and his best remaining player bolted to the ABA the day the new coach was introduced.

How did the 76ers find head coach Roy Rubin for the 1972-73 season?

Al McGuire and Adolph Rupp had both turned the job down; Rubin was the longtime coach at Long Island University.

In 1976 the 76ers bought Julius Erving's contract from which ABA team for about $3 million?

The Nets owed the Knicks $5 million for entering their territory plus a $3.2 million NBA expansion fee, so they had little choice.

After losing the 1977 Finals, the 76ers adopted which marketing slogan for 1977-78?

It backfired when they lost the conference finals to the Washington Bullets, who went on to win the title.

Which center did the 76ers acquire from Houston before 1982-83 to complete their championship team?

He was named league MVP and Finals MVP that season and had entered pro basketball straight from high school in 1974.

What did the 1983 MVP's famous 'fo', fo', fo'' prediction mean?

They nearly did it: a lone loss to Milwaukee made the actual run 'fo', fi', fo'', and their 12-1 playoff record was a mark for fewest losses.

Whom did the 76ers sweep in the 1983 NBA Finals?

It was revenge for the previous year's Finals loss to the same opponent.

How many regular-season games did the 1982-83 76ers win?

It remains the second-most wins in franchise history, behind only the 1966-67 team.

Which 76ers guard was nicknamed 'the Boston Strangler'?

Bob Ryan called him 'the most forgotten great player in NBA history'; chronic foot injuries ended his career early.

Which 76ers center broke two backboards in 1979 and claimed to come from the planet Lovetron?

Stevie Wonder nicknamed him Chocolate Thunder; the NBA created a rule against breaking backboards days after his second shattering.

Which future Hall of Fame forward arrived in Philadelphia in 1984-85 and stayed eight years?

He finished second in MVP voting in 1989-90, but the team never got past the second round again in his tenure.

Whom did Cleveland draft with the No. 1 pick it got from Philadelphia in June 1986?

Philadelphia got Roy Hinson, Jeff Ruland and Cliff Robinson, none of whom lasted more than three seasons.

Whom did the 76ers select first overall in the 1996 NBA draft?

At a listed 6 feet 0 inches he became the shortest No. 1 pick ever, and won Rookie of the Year for a 22-60 team.

At which college did Iverson play for two seasons before the draft?

He was the first player under John Thompson to leave early for the NBA, and finished as the Hoyas' all-time leader in scoring average.

Which coach, hired in 1997, led the 76ers to the 2001 NBA Finals despite frequent clashes with Iverson?

He resigned on Memorial Day 2003 and won the title with Detroit the next year, beating the Lakers who had beaten him in 2001.

How did the 76ers start the 2000-01 season, a franchise record?

They finished 56-26 and swept the awards: MVP, Coach of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year and Sixth Man of the Year (Aaron McKie).

Which 76er won Defensive Player of the Year in 2000-01?

He was acquired mid-season and helped push the Lakers to five games in the Finals.

Over which Lakers guard did Iverson famously step after hitting a shot in Game 1 of the 2001 Finals?

Iverson scored 48 in a 107-101 overtime win, the Lakers' only loss of that entire postseason.

How many NBA scoring titles did Iverson win?

The first came in the lockout-shortened 1998-99 season at 26.8 points a game; the fourth in 2004-05 at 31 a game.

To which team did the 76ers trade Iverson in December 2006?

He returned briefly in December 2009 on a prorated $1.3 million deal when the team was 5-13.

Doug Collins, hired as coach in 2010, had been the 76ers' first overall pick in which draft?

He spent his entire playing career with the team, then coached the Bulls, Pistons and Wizards before returning.

Which Apollo Global Management co-founder led the group that bought the 76ers for $280 million in 2011?

Comcast-Spectacor sold the team; Blitzer was part of the same group. Harris later bought the NFL's Washington Commanders.

Which general manager's tear-down rebuild from 2013 became known as 'The Process'?

Guard Tony Wroten coined the phrase; the first move was trading All-Star Jrue Holiday for injured Nerlens Noel and a pick.

How did the architect of The Process resign in April 2016?

Days later the 76ers won the draft lottery with a 25% chance and used the pick on an LSU point forward.

With which pick of the 2014 draft did the 76ers select Joel Embiid?

Foot and knee injuries kept him out for two full seasons; he made the All-Rookie First Team in 2016-17 in just 31 games.

In which country was Joel Embiid born?

He only took up basketball at 15, planning to play pro volleyball in Europe, and later became a citizen of France and the United States.

For which country did Embiid win Olympic gold in 2024?

He was eligible for three countries and said he chose to play 'with my brothers in the league' and win gold for his American-born son.

Which player did the 76ers take first overall in 2016?

He was traded to Brooklyn in February 2022 in a deal that brought a former MVP guard to Philadelphia.

Against which team did Ben Simmons pass up an open dunk in a 2021 Game 7 loss that led to his trade demand?

He then held out of training camp and was reportedly fined more than $19 million for conduct detrimental to the team.

General manager Bryan Colangelo left the 76ers in 2018 after a scandal involving what?

Elton Brand was promoted to general manager that September; the burner accounts had criticized the team's own players.

Whom did the 76ers acquire from Brooklyn in February 2022 when they traded away their 2016 No. 1 pick?

Andre Drummond, Seth Curry and two first-round picks also went to Brooklyn; the star guard was himself dealt to the Clippers by 2023.

Who replaced Doc Rivers as 76ers head coach in 2023?

Rivers had been hired in October 2020 alongside new basketball boss Daryl Morey.

What kind of animal was Hip Hop, the 76ers mascot retired after the 2011 lockout?

He replaced the 1980s mascot Big Shot and specialized in trampoline slam dunks at timeouts.

What is the name of the dog mascot introduced by the 76ers in February 2015?

He was unveiled to 400 fans at the Franklin Institute after a weekend at the All-Star Game in New York.

What was the 76ers' arena, opened in 1996 on the JFK Stadium site, originally called?

It has since carried First Union, Wachovia and Wells Fargo names and became Xfinity Mobile Arena in 2025; it was built on the site of JFK Stadium.

How many different 76ers players have won the NBA MVP award?

Chamberlain, Erving, Malone, Iverson and Embiid share seven MVP trophies between them.

Where did Julius Erving say people first tried to call him 'Black Moses' and 'Houdini'?

He told them if they wanted to call him anything, call him 'Doctor'; it evolved into Dr. Julius and finally Dr. J.

Which 76ers great was nicknamed 'the Kangaroo Kid' for his leaping ability?

He won the 1967 title as a player and coached the 1983 champions, and made both the NBA's 50th and 75th anniversary teams.

The 1983 MVP began his pro career in 1974 as the first modern player to do what?

The ABA's Utah Stars took him in the third round out of Petersburg High School in Virginia, where his team had gone unbeaten for two years.

The 76ers' 2018-19 'City' uniforms and later 'Earned' uniforms were inspired by which 1976 film?

Later City editions honored the Iverson era and Boathouse Row.