Editing Philadelphia 76ers

{{Infobox SportsTeam
| name = Philadelphia 76ers
| sport = Basketball (NBA)
| founded = 1946 (as Syracuse Nationals); 1963 (moved to Philadelphia)
| stadium = [[Wells Fargo Center]]
| capacity = 20,478
| championships = 3 (1955, 1967, 1983)
| conference_titles = 9
| colors = Red, White, Blue
| mascot = Franklin the Dog
| owner = Josh Harris (Sixers ownership group)
| neighborhood = South Philadelphia
| website = https://www.nba.com/sixers
}}

The '''Philadelphia 76ers''' (commonly known as the '''Sixers''') are a professional basketball team based in Philadelphia, competing in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Eastern Conference Atlantic Division. One of the oldest and most storied franchises in NBA history, the Sixers have won three championships and have been home to some of basketball's greatest players, including Wilt Chamberlain, Julius Erving, Charles Barkley, and Allen Iverson.<ref name="sixers">{{cite web |url=https://www.nba.com/sixers |title=Philadelphia 76ers |publisher=NBA |access-date=December 23, 2025}}</ref>

The team plays at the [[Wells Fargo Center]] in the [[South Philadelphia Sports Complex]], though controversial plans to build a new arena in Center City have sparked intense debate.

== History ==

=== Syracuse Nationals (1946-1963) ===

The franchise began as the Syracuse Nationals:

* '''1946''' — Founded as Syracuse Nationals in the National Basketball League
* '''1949''' — Joined NBA when leagues merged
* '''1955 NBA Championship*** — Defeated Fort Wayne Pistons
** Featured Dolph Schayes, Hall of Fame forward
* Competed in small-market Syracuse for 17 years
* '''1963''' — Relocated to Philadelphia, renamed 76ers
** Name honors 1776 and Declaration of Independence

=== The Wilt Chamberlain Era (1964-1968) ===

Wilt Chamberlain came home to Philadelphia:

==== The Arrival ====

* '''1965*** — Sixers acquired Chamberlain from San Francisco Warriors
* Chamberlain was already a legend (100-point game, 1962)
* Philadelphia native returned home

==== 1967: The Greatest Team Ever? ====

The 1966-67 Sixers are considered one of the greatest teams in NBA history:

* '''68-13 record*** — Best in NBA history at the time
* '''Wilt Chamberlain*** — MVP, changed game to focus on passing
* '''Hal Greer***, '''Chet Walker***, '''Billy Cunningham***, '''Wali Jones'''
* '''Coach Alex Hannum***
* '''NBA Finals*** — Defeated San Francisco Warriors 4-2
* '''Ended Celtics Dynasty*** — Beat Boston in Eastern Finals
* Considered by some the greatest team ever assembled

==== Chamberlain's Departure ====

* '''1968*** — Chamberlain traded to Los Angeles Lakers
* Controversial move, still debated
* Left void in franchise

=== The Dr. J Era (1976-1987) ===

==== The Arrival of Julius Erving ====

* '''1976*** — Sixers acquired '''Julius Erving*** ("Dr. J") from New York Nets (ABA)
* One of the most exciting players ever
* Spectacular dunks, afro, style
* Transformed Philadelphia basketball
* Made the Sixers must-see entertainment

==== Championship Pursuits ====

* '''1977 NBA Finals*** — Lost to Portland Trail Blazers
* '''1980 NBA Finals*** — Lost to Los Angeles Lakers (Magic Johnson's rookie heroics)
* '''1982 NBA Finals*** — Lost to Los Angeles Lakers again
* Heartbreak defined the era despite regular season success

==== 1983: "Fo, Fo, Fo" ====

Finally, Philadelphia prevailed:

* '''Moses Malone*** — Acquired from Houston, MVP center
* '''"Fo, Fo, Fo"*** — Malone's prediction (four sweeps; actually went 12-1)
* '''Starting Five***: Dr. J, Moses Malone, Maurice Cheeks, Andrew Toney, Bobby Jones
* '''NBA Finals*** — Swept Los Angeles Lakers 4-0
* '''Moses Malone*** — Finals MVP
* Philadelphia's first NBA title since 1967
* Last NBA championship for the franchise (as of 2025)

==== The Late Dr. J Years ====

* Continued competitiveness through mid-1980s
* Charles Barkley emerged (drafted 1984)
* Erving retired 1987

=== The Barkley Years (1984-1992) ===

'''Charles Barkley''' became the face of the franchise:

* '''1984 Draft*** — Selected 5th overall from Auburn
* '''Playing Style*** — Undersized power forward, fierce competitor
* '''Personality*** — Outspoken, quotable, polarizing
* '''1988-1991*** — All-NBA seasons
* Teams were competitive but never reached Finals
* '''1992*** — Traded to Phoenix Suns (became MVP there)
* Beloved and controversial figure

=== The Iverson Era (1996-2006) ===

==== "The Answer" Arrives ====

* '''1996 NBA Draft*** — Selected '''Allen Iverson*** #1 overall from Georgetown
* '''Controversial*** — Bowling alley incident, questions about attitude
* '''Revolutionary*** — Cornrows, tattoos, "thug" appearance challenged NBA
* '''Playing Style*** — Fearless scorer, crossover dribble, heart of a giant

==== 2001: The Peak ====

The 2000-01 Sixers were Iverson's masterpiece:

* '''Allen Iverson*** — MVP season (31.1 PPG, league-leading)
* '''Coach Larry Brown*** — Defensive-minded system
* '''Supporting Cast***: Dikembe Mutombo, Eric Snow, Aaron McKie, Tyrone Hill
* '''Eastern Conference Champions***
* '''NBA Finals*** — Lost to Los Angeles Lakers 4-1
** '''Game 1 Overtime Win*** — Iverson's stepover of Tyron Lue
** Only team to beat Shaq/Kobe Lakers in 2001 playoffs

==== The Iverson Legacy ====

* '''Crossover*** — The signature move, shook defenders
* '''Cultural Impact*** — Changed how NBA players could look, dress, express themselves
* '''Cornrows and Tattoos*** — Challenged league dress code
* '''"Practice?"*** — Famous press conference rant (2002)
* '''Heart*** — 6'0", 165 pounds, never backed down from anyone
* '''Philadelphia Icon*** — Embraced by city as one of their own
* Traded to Denver in 2006; returned briefly in 2009-10

=== The Process (2013-2019) ===

==== Tanking for the Future ====

After years of mediocrity, GM Sam Hinkie implemented "The Process":

* '''2013-2016*** — Deliberate losing to accumulate draft picks
* '''"Trust the Process"*** — Became rallying cry
* '''Hinkie*** — Traded assets for future picks, embraced tanking
* '''League intervention*** — NBA pressured ownership; Hinkie resigned (2016)
* '''Draft picks***: Joel Embiid (2014), Ben Simmons (2016)

==== Joel Embiid Emerges ====

* '''Joel Embiid*** — Dominant center, missed first two years injured
* '''2016-17*** — Embiid debuted, became star
* '''Ben Simmons*** — #1 pick, point forward
* '''2018-2019*** — Playoff contention returned
* '''Jimmy Butler*** trade (2018-19) brought playoff run
* "The Shot" — Kawhi Leonard's bounce four times; Toronto won on last-second shot

==== Post-Process Challenges ====

* '''Ben Simmons saga*** — Refused to play (2021), eventually traded
* '''James Harden*** acquired (2022)
* '''Embiid*** — 2023 MVP
* Continued playoff disappointments
* Championship remains elusive

=== Current Era ===

* '''Joel Embiid*** — Franchise player, MVP
* '''Playoff struggles*** — Second-round exits continue
* '''Arena controversy*** — Proposed Center City arena sparks debate
* Championship drought since 1983

== Championships ==

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Year !! Opponent !! Series !! MVP !! Notes
|-
| '''1955''' || Fort Wayne Pistons || 4-3 || — || As Syracuse Nationals
|-
| '''1967''' || San Francisco Warriors || 4-2 || — || 68-13 regular season
|-
| '''1983''' || Los Angeles Lakers || 4-0 || Moses Malone || "Fo, Fo, Fo"
|}

=== Finals Losses ===

* 1977 — Portland Trail Blazers
* 1980 — Los Angeles Lakers
* 1982 — Los Angeles Lakers
* 2001 — Los Angeles Lakers

== Legendary Players ==

=== Hall of Famers ===

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Player !! Position !! Years !! Notable
|-
| '''Wilt Chamberlain''' || C || 1965-1968 || 100-point game, 1967 champion
|-
| '''Julius Erving''' || SF || 1976-1987 || "Dr. J," revolutionary style
|-
| '''Charles Barkley''' || PF || 1984-1992 || Round Mound of Rebound
|-
| '''Allen Iverson''' || G || 1996-2006, 2009-10 || "The Answer," 2001 MVP
|-
| '''Moses Malone''' || C || 1982-1986, 1993-94 || 1983 Finals MVP, "Fo Fo Fo"
|-
| '''Dolph Schayes''' || F/C || 1949-1964 || Syracuse Nationals star
|-
| '''Hal Greer''' || G || 1958-1973 || 1967 championship
|-
| '''Billy Cunningham''' || F || 1965-1972, 1974-76 || Player and coach
|-
| '''Maurice Cheeks''' || G || 1978-1989 || 1983 championship point guard
|}

=== Sixers Legends ===

* '''Bobby Jones*** — Sixth Man, 1983 champion
* '''Andrew Toney*** — "Boston Strangler," clutch scorer
* '''Dikembe Mutombo*** — Finger wag, 2001 Finals
* '''World B. Free*** — Flamboyant scorer
* '''Joel Embiid*** — Current franchise player, 2023 MVP

== Iconic Moments ==

=== Greatest Moments ===

* '''1967 Championship*** — Ending Celtics dynasty
* '''1983 Sweep*** — "Fo, Fo, Fo" championship
* '''Dr. J's Baseline Move (1980)*** — Against Lakers in Finals
* '''Iverson's Crossover on Jordan (1997)*** — Rookie breaks MJ's ankles
* '''Iverson Steps Over Lue (2001)*** — Game 1 Finals
* '''Embiid's MVP (2023)*** — First Sixer MVP since Iverson

=== Infamous Moments ===

* '''Wilt Trade (1968)*** — Lost greatest player
* '''1977 Finals Loss*** — Should have won
* '''1981 Eastern Finals*** — Lost to Celtics (again)
* '''Barkley Trade (1992)*** — Gave away All-Star
* '''Iverson "Practice" Rant*** — Mocked, but misunderstood
* '''The Shot (2019)*** — Kawhi's bouncing buzzer-beater
* '''Ben Simmons Saga*** — Refused to play, trade drama

== The Process ==

"The Process" became cultural phenomenon:

=== What Was It? ===

* '''Sam Hinkie's strategy*** — Trade current assets for future picks
* '''Deliberate losing*** — Ensure high draft position
* '''Asset accumulation*** — Stockpile picks and young players
* '''Long-term vision*** — Build championship team from scratch

=== Cultural Impact ===

* '''"Trust the Process"*** — Rallying cry for fans and team
* Joel Embiid nicknamed "The Process"
* Influenced other teams' rebuilding strategies
* Controversial but embraced by Philadelphia

=== Results ===

* Drafted Joel Embiid, Ben Simmons
* Returned to playoff contention
* Championship still elusive
* Debate over whether it "worked"

== Rivalries ==

=== Boston Celtics ===

The defining rivalry:

* '''Historical dominance*** — Celtics often blocked Sixers
* '''1967*** — Finally beat Boston in playoffs
* '''1980s*** — Bird vs. Dr. J, Barkley
* '''Hatred runs deep*** — Both fanbases despise each other
* Greatest rivalry in Sixers history

=== Los Angeles Lakers ===

* '''4 Finals meetings*** — Sixers won 1 (1983)
* '''1980, 1982, 2001*** — Painful losses
* '''1983*** — Sweet revenge, sweep

=== New York Knicks ===

* Geographic rivalry
* Atlantic Division battles
* Less intense than Celtics rivalry

== Venues ==

=== Historical ===

* '''Convention Hall*** (1963-1967)
* '''The Spectrum*** (1967-1996) — Iconic arena
** Dr. J's playground
** Philly's basketball home for three decades
* '''CoreStates/First Union/Wachovia Center*** (1996-2010)

=== Current ===

* '''[[Wells Fargo Center]]*** (2010-present)
** Shared with Flyers
** Part of Sports Complex
** Capacity: 20,478

=== Proposed ===

* '''76 Place*** — Proposed Center City arena (controversial)
** Chinatown location debate
** Ownership push vs. community opposition
** Unresolved as of 2025

== Frequently Asked Questions ==

{{FAQ
|q1=How many championships have the 76ers won?
|a1=The Philadelphia 76ers have won 3 NBA championships: 1955 (as Syracuse Nationals), 1967, and 1983. The 1967 team went 68-13 and is considered one of the greatest ever. The 1983 "Fo, Fo, Fo" team swept the Lakers. They haven't won since 1983.

|q2=Who is the greatest 76er of all time?
|a2=This is debated between Julius Erving (Dr. J), Wilt Chamberlain, and Allen Iverson. Dr. J (1976-87) revolutionized the game and brought a championship. Wilt won the 1967 title. Iverson (1996-2006) was an MVP who became a cultural icon. All have valid claims.

|q3=What does "Trust the Process" mean?
|a3="Trust the Process" refers to GM Sam Hinkie's rebuilding strategy (2013-2016) of deliberately losing to accumulate draft picks. It became a fan rallying cry. The strategy yielded Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons. Embiid himself is nicknamed "The Process."

|q4=Why do Sixers fans hate the Celtics?
|a4=The Celtics blocked the Sixers from championships repeatedly in the 1960s-80s. Boston's historical dominance, close geography, and arrogant fanbase (from Philadelphia's perspective) created deep hatred. The 1967 Sixers ending Boston's dynasty was cathartic. It remains the Sixers' biggest rivalry.
}}

== See Also ==

* [[Wells Fargo Center]]
* [[South Philadelphia Sports Complex]]
* [[Philadelphia Sports Culture]]
* [[The Spectrum]]

== References ==
<references />

== External Links ==

* [https://www.nba.com/sixers Official Website]
* [https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/PHI/ Basketball Reference - 76ers]

{{#seo:
|title=Philadelphia 76ers - Complete History from Wilt to Iverson to Embiid
|description=The Philadelphia 76ers have won 3 NBA championships and featured legends like Wilt Chamberlain, Dr. J, Charles Barkley, and Allen Iverson. Explore the full history of Philadelphia basketball.
|keywords=Philadelphia 76ers, NBA, Allen Iverson, Julius Erving, Dr. J, Wilt Chamberlain, Joel Embiid, Trust the Process, 1983 championship, Wells Fargo Center
|type=Article
}}

[[Category:Sports]]
[[Category:Philadelphia 76ers]]
[[Category:NBA]]
[[Category:South Philadelphia]]