Philadelphia’s legacy in basketball runs deep. From homegrown athletes like Wilt Chamberlain and Earl Monroe to a rich history of competitive high school and college teams to one of the NBA's most historic teams in the Sixers, the city's connection to the sport runs deep, even today.
On Saturday, Jan. 31, the Philadelphia 76ers honored the 25th anniversary of their 2000-2001 squad, led by franchise legend Allen Iverson, during their game against the New Orleans Pelicans. The fully packed home crowd roared in applause at the very sight of Iverson and his teammates. Current franchise legend Joel Embiid would close out the game that night with a dominant 40-point performance, the latest marquee game in an impressive career.
After the game, Sixers' All-Star Tyrese Maxey, dubbed by Embiid himself as "The Franchise," took to the podium to address the media. Reflecting on the fan reaction to all that the evening had in store, Maxey discussed the legacy he wants to leave in Philadelphia, both as a team like the 2000-2001 squad and as an individual, like Iverson and Embiid.
"As a team, listen, I just want to win. Whatever that is, however that comes to fruition, that's what I want. I want to win. Myself, I just want everybody to know [that] I try extremely hard. I work extremely hard. I leave it all out there on the court every single night. I play through whatever. As long as I can walk, run, and do anything I need to do on the basketball court, I'm out there. I'm always gonna be out there.
"So that's the legacy that I want to leave behind. But the main thing is winning, and this is a town that believes in winning, and I believe in winning, so that's, that's a big thing for me."
Winning is of the utmost importance to Maxey, specifically, winning in Philadelphia.
Maxey is accustomed to winning. From being crowned Texas Mr. Basketball in high school to playing for a Kentucky squad with NCAA championship aspirations, had it not been for the COVID-19 pandemic, to four straight winning seasons with the Sixers, winning has gone hand in hand with basketball for Maxey, until last season.
One of Maxey's primary frustrations last season with the Sixers was the team's losing. Philadelphia managed just 24 wins all season, and the future of the franchise was questioned in the months that followed.
This season, Maxey and the Sixers have returned to their winning ways, already exceeding last year's win total by three and currently sitting in the thick of the Eastern Conference Playoff race. There remains plenty of season left to play, and Paul George's recent 25-game suspension throws an obvious wrench into the situation, but in his sixth NBA season, Maxey has rediscovered winning, and he's not looking to miss out on that feeling again.
There are, of course, levels to winning. Regular season success is well and good, but Maxey pursues greater things.
Despite their consistent regular-season success, the Sixers have largely been viewed as postseason failures, having not reached the NBA Finals, let alone the Eastern Conference Finals, since 2001.
Like Iverson, Maxey wants to leave behind a lasting legacy of hard work, leaving every last ounce on the court, but for Maxey to truly fulfil his desire to win, he will have to not only reach the heights of Iverson and company but also succeed where they failed.
The Eastern Conference appears as open as ever this season, and beyond this year, Maxey has only begun to form one of the NBA's budding young back courts alongside rookie VJ Edgecombe. Especially as Joel Embiid continues to prove himself far closer to his former MVP form than anyone could have predicted, the opportunity to win will present itself, not only this season but in the years to come.
It's up to Maxey and the Sixers to seize the opportunity in front of them and do what no Sixers team has done since 1983: win an NBA Championship.
