Philadelphia (AFP) – Long-suffering Philadelphia 76ers fans haven’t celebrated an NBA title in 43 years, but with newly arrived LeBron James headlining a star-studded team, they are daring to dream. “We never had a team like this,” enthuses Kairee Harvey, a 32-year-old police officer and die-hard LeBron supporter. “I still can’t believe it,” the resident of neighboring New Jersey said of the arrival of James in July. “I feel like I’m in a dream a little bit.” Suddenly, Harvey said, “I think that this will be our year to win a championship.”
On paper, Philadelphia’s starting five looks like a daunting prospect, boasting two former MVPs and a former Finals MVP. But the City of Brotherly Love has learned the hard way that talent doesn’t always translate into trophies. Philly has seen NBA icons, from Charles Barkley to Joel Embiid, with Allen Iverson in between, but hasn’t won it all since 1983. “I think there’s always gonna be some caution with Philly fans,” says Rob Nero, a local artist who has created several works depicting Sixers players, displayed on walls all across the city. “We’re so used to getting our hopes up and having our hearts broken,” Nero said. “But that’s never gonna stop us from getting excited and believing in our teams.”
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The Sixers’ final preseason game at the Xfinity Mobile Arena was sold out, with fans sharing a few early moments of euphoria. “They let me down at times as a team, but I’m there to cheer them on no matter what,” said Laurie Ney, who was accompanied by her two Yorkshire terriers — both, like her, wearing Sixers jerseys. Historically, Philadelphia is an Eagles town, and in the streets, the NFL team’s green dominates the blue of the Sixers. Even last year, Matthew Merovitz would have put Major League Baseball’s Philadelphia Phillies in second place in the city’s popularity scale. “But if you’re looking into this season where the other teams stand, I would say the Sixers are easily at the top of the city,” said the young professional clad in a Sixers jersey.
Philly sports fans could certainly do with a lift from the Sixers. The Phillies were knocked out of the first round of the MLB playoffs. The Eagles are on a four-game skid with star quarterback Jalen Hurts out indefinitely, and the Flyers are languishing in last place in the NHL Eastern Conference.
The question is whether the show on the court will live up to the names on the marquee and whether the collection of stars comes together to function as a unit. “We’ve already seen some exciting things in the preseason, especially from Jaylen Brown and VJ Edgecombe,” Nero said. With no clear hierarchy yet established, many fans expect Brown, acquired in a blockbuster trade from Boston, to take control. “This is a lot of good players together,” says Brian Yoder, a septuagenarian who remembers the championship Sixers of Julius Erving and Moses Malone. “They’ve just got to become a team.”
The 1983 squad, which swept Magic Johnson’s Lakers 4-0 in the Finals, had also been shaken up the previous offseason with the arrival of reigning MVP Malone. “They just gelled together,” Yoder recalled. “That’s what made it fantastic. They were a team.” Clemon Johnson, one of the heroes of the 1983 triumph, thinks it can happen again. “I’m looking forward to watching them raise the banner next year,” he told AFP. Nothing less will do if King James is to reign in Philadelphia sports fans’ hearts. For most, the throne still belongs to electrifying point guard Iverson, who carried the Sixers to the Finals in 2001. Elijah Davis, a salesman at vintage jersey store Mitchell & Ness, said the two-year deal inked by James defines the window for success. “If we don’t get anything now or like in the next year …I wouldn’t say the organization is cooked, but it’s definitely going to need some changes for sure.”
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