In one of their most complete games of the young season, the Flyers closed out a four-game homestand Monday with a 5-2 win against a Seattle Kraken team that had yet to lose in regulation this season.
It upped the Orange and Black’s record to 3-2-1. Here are three things that keyed the victory:
Entering Monday night, the Flyers’ power play was in a familiar spot — last in the NHL at 6.7%. But after going 2-for-4 against the Kraken, it is now up to 15.8% and tied for 21st with the New York Islanders, who visit Xfinity Mobile Arena on Saturday (12:30 p.m., NBCSP).
Tyson Foerster scored the first one after he and Bobby Brink got to work on the boards, transferring the connectivity that they have at five-on-five over to the power play. The play saw Foerster track down an errant pass in the corner and find a supporting Brink, who drew two Kraken defenders in before slipping it back to his linemate. The nifty give-and-go gave Foerster a ton of space in the left faceoff circle to pick the top corner.
“Yeah, a little surprised ’cause I thought [Trevor] Zegras was open, too,” Foerster said of all the time he had to shoot. “So it was either pick Zegras or shoot, so I decided to shoot.”
Foerster, whose goal came with 7 seconds left on the power play, also gave props to his goalie, Dan Vladař, who stopped a two-on-one and a breakaway right before the Flyers got on the board.
“Well, we wanted to give them a couple of breakaways and a two-on-one to loosen them up and then we started to go,” coach Rick Tocchet said sarcastically when asked if there was a change in strategy for Monday or just better execution.
“No, obviously, it was a little hairy there. We weren’t too happy with it early.”
Tocchet liked the movement of the power play overall, but he wanted to see more. According to Cam York, who got the primary assist on the Noah Cates tip-in goal 19 seconds into a second-period power play, the credit goes to the coaches.
“I should have done it in the first period, too, on Tyson’s first goal,” he said of putting the point shot on goal with traffic in front.
“Didn’t [and] we watched it on video, and in the second period was able to capitalize on it. I’ve said it from the start, coaches have done a great job of making us look good out there, and I’ll give the credit to them on that one.”
But Tocchet credited Zegras for paying attention to the pre-scout and using the information to set up York by drawing Kraken penalty killer Tye Kartye to him in the right faceoff circle.
“That’s high-level play, is making a back pass through the top down,” said Tocchet, noting how the Kraken structure their penalty kill. “That’s a hard play and if you beat that play, you’re going to get that guy in the middle with all day for a shot. So, that’s the skill of Trevor, he can make that backhand pass to the middle guy.”
Zegras has an assist in five straight games.
Supporting Matvei
There have been a lot of questions about Matvei Michkov’s reads as of late, but on Monday, not only did he read and react properly, it led to Travis Konecny’s first goal of the season.
Owen Tippett, who remained red-hot with a pair of goals, skated a hard 34 seconds and got off the ice. It allowed Michkov to be out there with Konecny and Sean Couturier, until Couturier changed as the puck went back into the Flyers zone.
What was not shown on the broadcast is that Michkov clearly processed that the center was changing and went back to the defensive zone to provide puck support. He swung low and turned up the right wing as two Kraken players went to play the defenseman, who flipped the puck up in the air. It dropped and died in the neutral zone, allowing Michkov, who was skating north — another thing Tocchet has stressed to him — to pick up the puck.
From there Michkov got to work, finding a trailing Egor Zamula before the defenseman, who used his patience to outwait a Kraken defender, found Konecny at the back post.
Flyers right wing Matvei Michkov had his best game of the young season on Monday.
“Listen, he’s chipping away in his game, and that’s all we can ask for. We’re looking at inches for players, that’s another inch for him,” Tocchet said of Michkov. “So, yeah, he made some nice plays. He started to skate a little bit more north and stuff like that. But he makes a high-level play to Zamula. … You skate, you make everyone drive [to you], and then you make the play. It’s when you don’t move the structure that he throws it in the middle and I think there’s a difference, and I think he’s starting to learn the difference.”
‘We are a family’
It’s been 23 years since Tocchet last played for the Flyers and his name is still atop the team’s all-time list for most career penalty minutes. And despite being a guy with 172 career NHL fights (regular season and playoffs), according to hockeyhights.com, Tocchet swears, “We’re not preaching fighting.”
What he is doing is “trying to create a culture and sticking together.”
They definitely do that because after Nic Deslauriers dropped the gloves against Minnesota; and Michkov got a minor for going at Carolina Hurricanes forward William Carrier, who nailed Konecny; and before Konecny got his own fighting major Monday after Kraken defenseman Ryan Lindgren cross-checked Couturier from behind, Nikita Grebenkin entered the chat.
“It was awesome. Didn’t see it coming,” York said, summing it up perfectly. “But, he’s a feisty guy, I think, and any time one of our guys gets hit like that, you want to stick up for him. It’s who we are here, we’re a family, and just part of what we do.”
Playing in just his fourth game as a Flyer, Grebenkin made his presence known. After Garnet Hathaway was hit awkwardly, he instigated a fight with Cale Fleury and body-slammed him to the ice.
Grebenkin played just 7 minutes, 38 seconds — he earned 17 minutes’ worth of penalty time for his fight — but got his money’s worth as he endeared himself to his teammates and also made several nice plays, especially in the third period.
Not only was Jalen Hurts called upon to step up, he got a phone call in the middle of his post-game press conference in Minnesota. “When you win, everyone wants to call you,” he joked. In the Eagles’ 28-22 victory over the Vikings, the star quarterback was certainly a winner, delivering one of the most statistically-impressive performances of his career. The 326 passing yards and three touchdowns were much needed, as Hurts, along with the dynamic receiving duo of A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith, led the way in getting the Eagles back on track after a two-game slide. What changed on offense, where plenty of criticism has been directed this year? How did a couple of welcomed faces help the defense clamp down? The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Jeff McLane and Marcus Hayes give their takes on the Eagles’ success in Week 7.
00:00 Jalen Hurts: perfection marks major progress
21:25 Concerns about the edge and…Brandon Graham?!?!
unCovering the Birds is a production of The Philadelphia Inquirer and KYW Newsradio Original Podcasts. Look for new episodes throughout the season, including day-after-game reactions.
The Brandon Graham farewell tour of 2024 is getting a reboot.
The 37-year-old defensive end officially announced his return to the Eagles on Tuesday morning on his podcast, Brandon Graham Unblocked, saying, “We’re coming back, baby. We’re coming back one time.”
Additionally, the Eagles made the move official, announcing that they agreed to terms with Graham. He has a two-game exemption to ramp up that the team can lift at any time, so he doesn’t count against the active roster just yet.
Graham initially retired in March following the Eagles’ Super Bowl LIX win. He had been playing at a high level early in the year but suffered a torn triceps twice last season, once in Week 12 against the Los Angeles Rams and again in the Super Bowl, his first game back from the injury. Lifting the Lombardi Trophy for a second time seemed to serve as a natural ending to his Eagles tenure.
But it wasn’t his perfect storybook ending. Graham acknowledged on the podcast that he “would’ve been back, for sure” had Howie Roseman asked him to return for a 16th season.
“I really didn’t want to retire in the beginning,” Graham said. “It was kind of tough. But it was like, ‘Hey, Philly right now, they’ve got everything they need.’ So it’s like, ‘All right, I ain’t see myself on no other team.’ So it was kind of like, ‘I think this the best way to do it is go out on top.’”
Graham continued to stay in shape, though, and visited the NovaCare Complex. At the start of the season, Graham said Roseman contacted his agent in need of a veteran, inquiring if he would be interested in returning to the team. Graham said he wasn’t ready then.
Brandon Graham announced his retirement from the Eagles on March 18.
Roseman then signed Za’Darius Smith, a 33-year-old pass rusher, following the Eagles’ Week 1 win over the Dallas Cowboys to bolster the edge rusher corps. While Smith made an immediate impact, registering 1½ sacks through five games, he retired last week after 11 seasons in the NFL.
But in the aftermath of that call with Roseman, Graham continued to think about how he would respond if he was approached with another opportunity. Graham took Smith’s surprise retirement as a sign. This time around, Graham was ready for his opportunity to return.
Graham said he still feels like he has some “juice left” to give on the field, acknowledging that he feels “springy and bouncy.” He said that he’s eyeing the Eagles’ Week 10 matchup against the Green Bay Packers as a potential first game back, but he didn’t rule out Sunday’s game vs. the New York Giants.
Regardless, he’s open-minded about the role that awaits him.
“I don’t have no expectations with it,” Graham said. “It’s just more like I’m going to just bring myself and bring the energy. Go out there, first play, ‘Oh, you thought I was done? You thought you wasn’t going to have to deal with me?’ Get to all that little fun stuff, man, because, obviously, we play a game that I enjoy playing. Of course, it was hard, because, just being honest, man, all of us, I don’t care how many years you play. It’s just something that you’re just used to all the time, and you’re trying to get used to that next-best thing.
“Of course, I was doing a lot of stuff, but when that ball came and the Eagles was on, I was locked in. I know I’m going to get better with it as it goes, but, man, while I can still do it and the opportunity feels like it’s right, I feel like that’s exactly what I want to do. And that’s what I wanted to do in the beginning. But I know that it was Year 15, it’s just a great way to go out. But, hey, I don’t want to have no regrets, either.”
Graham said he was “flattered and thankful” that the opportunity from the Eagles came back around. He added that he “might cry” coming out of the tunnel on Sunday.
Not only is he looking forward to chirping at his opponents, but he’s also excited to bring his signature energy to his teammates for his first practice on Wednesday.
“I can’t wait to go out there and be like, ‘Lane [Johnson], what’s good?’” Graham said.
Nick Nurse has not been shy about the reality facing the 76ers. That they are, in their coach’s words, “digging ourselves out of a pretty big hole.”
That’s life coming off a shocking 24-58 season, when sky-high hopes quickly descended into a dreadful, injury-derailed slog. It initially was a version of basketball whiplash. And the aftermath has muted outside buzz entering 2025-26.
The NBA’s general managers said in their annual preseason survey that the Sixers, by a wide margin, are the most unpredictable team entering the season. That means there were plenty of questions before Wednesday’s opener at the Boston Celtics.
Every conversation about the Sixers’ overall outlook begins here.
This time last year, George’s free-agency addition to the All-Star tandem of Embiid and Tyrese Maxey was overwhelmingly lauded. Those three appeared to form an ideal 1-3-5 positional fit. The championship aspirations felt legitimate.
And then Embiid’s ongoing knee issues limited him to 19 games before another surgery. George played in 41 but was hampered by several ailments and had an arthroscopic knee procedure in July. The Embiid-Maxey-George trio played only 294 minutes together across 15 games.
So the skepticism — or, at least, uncertainty — is understandable. Yet the news surrounding Embiid and George is trending positively. Embiid played in Friday’s preseason finale — and, perhaps more important, fully participated in the Sixers’ next practice. George also returned to full-contact work but would miss the beginning of the season.
Sixers center Joel Embiid played in Friday’s preseason finale.
It is unrealistic to assume either player will look like a perennial All-Star immediately. Or, perhaps, ever again, given that George is 35 years old and Embiid is 31. But if the Sixers can successfully construct and execute an availability plan for both players, that would provide a massive lift to their cohesion and potential on both ends of the floor.
How will Tyrese Maxey respond?
Maxey had his own health trouble at the end of last season, sitting the final 22 games because of an injured little finger that dramatically impacted his outside shooting. The point guard also spoke candidly about the mental toll while shouldering mounting losses for the first time in his basketball career. He averaged a career-high 26.3 points as the Sixers’ top scoring option in his fifth NBA season, but his efficiency decreased and turnovers increased.
The 24-year-old Maxey said he is in a good headspace entering the season, and feels more comfortable countering a variety of defensive coverages. He has taken a significant leadership role, vowing to set the Sixers’ organizational standard with daily habits and style of play. He will be the engine that ignites an offense determined to play at a faster pace, whether Embiid and/or George are on the floor or not. Maxey also will play off the ball, allowing him to leverage his speed and outside shooting stroke.
If Maxey continues his ascent into his prime — and his team is improved — a second All-Star appearance is likely.
The third overall pick in this summer’s NBA draft flashed his dazzling athleticism during the preseason. Transition dunks. Come-from-behind blocks. Leaps for alley-oop passes.
Edgecombe also has received high praise from those watching him every day behind the scenes. Nurse already trusts the rookie to handle some offense-initiating duties and to be a strong defender. The coach also is pleased with Edgecombe’s progress with his shooting mechanics, although those still need to show up consistently in games.
As part of a loaded guard group, Edgecombe should not feel overwhelming pressure in his first NBA season. But that Nurse already feels comfortable starting the rookie is a huge compliment. He has a rare opportunity to be an instant-impact player on a team trying to win, not rebuild.
What about the other young guards?
At times during the preseason, Nurse has floated the idea of starting three guards, or even experimenting with four-guard lineups. Neither idea is completely outlandish because of the roster construction when healthy.
Jared McCain was dealt another tough-luck injury blow when he suffered a torn thumb ligament in a workout just before training camp after recovering from meniscus surgery. He will be reevaluated in less than two weeks, but whenever he returns, it is reasonable to anticipate some rust after what could be an 11-month layoff.
Sixers guard Jared McCain averaged 15.3 points in 23 games as a rookie last season.
The hope is that McCain can eventually recapture what made him an early Rookie of the Year front-runner, when he averaged 15.3 points in 23 games and became a weapon as an outside shooter, finisher at the basket, and backup point guard.
Quentin Grimes, meanwhile, was a late addition in the Sixers’ preseason after a contract saga ended with him taking his one-year, $8.7 million qualifying offer to become an unrestricted free agent next summer.
Grimes has said all the right things since rejoining the team, and Nurse has been pleased with his conditioning and ability to rapidly pick up the new offensive scheme. Grimes will not regularly be the go-to scorer that he was during his breakout stretch after joining the Sixers at the trade deadline. But his scoring punch at all three levels, complementary ballhandling, and tough-minded defense are valuable.
Is Adem Bona ready for a leap?
One silver lining of the Sixers’ tank job last season was the opportunity it gave to their young players. Few took better advantage than Bona, who now is in line to be Embiid’s backup — and perhaps more.
The Sixers recently have been toying with Bona playing alongside Embiid and started that double-big lineup in Friday’s preseason finale against the Minnesota Timberwolves. It’s a pairing Bona said he has eyeballed since the Sixers drafted him. It allows Bona, a hyperathletic rim protector and lob threat, to play in the “dunker” spot near the basket, and for Embiid to stretch more out to the perimeter.
Bona’s offensive skill set — notably his shooting range — remains a work in progress. An even more urgent priority: He must stop getting into early foul trouble if he is relied on for heavier minutes.
Is Dominick Barlow on track for a full roster spot?
The 22-year-old forward on a two-way contract perhaps was the surprise of the preseason, earning an early rotation spot and potentially a starting nod. He is another impressive athlete with a knack for rebounding who can fit next to Embiid or Bona.
The two-way contract structure is designed for players to split time between the Sixers and the G League’s Delaware Blue Coats and limits the number of NBA games one can play. But Nurse said he has no reservations about immediately using Barlow as much as it takes to help the Sixers. There is a full-time roster spot available, should Barlow earn a conversion to a standard contract.
Jabari Walker also has been viewed as a contender to have his two-way contract converted to a standard deal. But right now, Barlow has the inside track.
Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (right) and Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton likely are out for the season with Achilles tendon injuries suffered in last season’s playoffs.
How much does a down East impact the Sixers’ path?
Perhaps you have heard the East is the NBA’s weaker conference this season.
The Indiana Pacers and Boston Celtics are on the equivalent of “gap” years, after stars Tyrese Haliburton and Jayson Tatum suffered Achilles tendon injuries during the playoffs. The New York Knicks are coming off their first Eastern Conference finals appearance in 25 years but have a new coach in Mike Brown. The Cleveland Cavaliers, Orlando Magic, and Atlanta Hawks have stout rosters but remain unproven in the postseason.
So there is a window for the Sixers to jump right back into the playoff mix, even as such a preseason wild card.
In-season injuries and player movement could impact the conference’s landscape. It will be interesting to note where the Sixers are at the trade deadline, at which last season they acquired Grimes but shortly after transitioned to a tank for the best possible draft lottery odds. Keep an eye on Kelly Oubre Jr.’s $8.4 million expiring contract as a potential asset.
Prime Video’s Allen Iv3rson follows the journey of 11-time NBA All-Star Allen Iverson from Newport News, Va., to his career in the NBA, covering his life both on and off the court.
The three-part docuseries gives a behind-the-scenes look at some of the most iconic moments from his Hall of Fame career — from the legendary “practice” press conference to his relationship with former Sixers coach Larry Brown.
But the project goes beyond the court, covering the life of Bubba Chuck and his roots in Stuart Gardens Apartments. The series, produced and directed by One9, is a story of sacrifice, perseverance, and staying true to oneself.
“I think the truth comes out in their memories and it’s very unfiltered,” One9 said. “No one’s ever sat with him to get the raw honest truth. And I felt that if he was able to give me what he left on the court, what he gave to the game. If he was able to give me that in this film — that same raw, relentless, authentic heart — then we’re going to have something epic.
“You can find moments in this film that will inspire you, give you reason to reflect on how things in his life may resonate with what’s happening in anyone’s life. A lot of it deals with sacrifice. It deals with discipline, resilience, just speaking your uncompromising truth, and being true to who you are.”
The series features appearances from his family, former players, former Sixers president Pat Croce, and Brown. Here’s what we learned from Allen Iv3rson, which premieres Tuesday night at the Philadelphia Film Festival and is set to release on Prime Video on Thursday …
Bubba Chuck from Newport News
Most of Iverson’s friends won’t call him by his government name. Instead, they call him by his nickname “Bubba Chuck,” which is a combination of his uncles’ names. Growing up in Newport News, his uncles Stephen and Gregory Iverson were important male role models.
“From the time he was walking, he was always with us, and 90% of the time we’re at the basketball court,” Greg said. “He used to sit there and cry and want to get in the game. He was so small. I called him a crybaby because he would always cry all the time because he wanted to play, he wanted to come with us.”
Iverson added: “I wanted to be like my uncles because they were my heroes. I saw excellence in both of them. They were the rocks of our family.”
A good portion of the series covers Iverson’s relationship with his family as he grew up in the area’s low-income housing. The docuseries shows how Iverson went from hustling on the streets as a young kid to support his family to becoming a neighborhood icon with a street named after him.
“My heart is always going to be here,” Iverson said. “This is who I am. This is what made me who I am, you know what I mean? When I look at this, I think of the people from here. My life in these streets prepared me for the rest of the world. To me, this was my only world right here. Wherever I‘m at in life, I carry y’all with me. I come from the trenches. I come from where you can’t survive being weak.”
Allen Iverson plays against Villanova at The Spectrum as a freshman in January of 1995.
From City Farm to Georgetown
Iverson found success in football and basketball when he was younger, leading Bethel High School to state titles in both sports within the same year. He was highly sought by different colleges until an incident at a bowling alley changed his trajectory.
On Valentine’s Day in 1993, a 17-year-old Iverson went to a local bowling alley where things escalated quickly. A brawl eventually broke out, which allegedly stemmed from racial epithets said by white men in the alley.
“An argument started, all hell broke loose,” Iverson said. “First, when it was going on, I was watching. And then I saw somebody get beat real bad. And that’s when it clicked in my head like, ‘Yo, it’s time to go.’”
Iverson was arrested and sentenced to 15 years in prison for his role in the incident — which resulted in no serious injuries. The case led to heightened racial tensions in Virginia.
“It was crazy because Virginia was divided because of me,” Iverson said. “It was tough seeing it on the news every day, the chaos of it all. I had this one [guard], man, this dude used to [expletive] with me so bad all the time. He just would not stop. Tawanna would come up to me … We would be holding hands and he would separate our hands, push us back.
“And then they used to have the scarecrow outside the jail with my jersey on, hanging from a noose. The mail that came in for me every day was hate mail. And then I had death threats every single day.”
Iverson’s sentencing received plenty of national attention. His mother, Ann, held a number of marches and boycotts to help get her son out of jail. Eventually, the 18-year-old was granted clemency by Gov. Douglas Wilder and was released after four months in prison.
Georgetown’s head coach John Thompson talks to Allen Iverson during a game against St. John’s on Jan. 24, 1996.
But Ann’s job wasn’t done.
Before Iverson was released she went to Georgetown coach John Thompson to beg him to bring her son to the Hoyas.
”I went to John Thompson,” Ann said. “He said, ‘Well, I’m not going to take Allen because I’m not recruiting Allen.’ And I just broke down. I broke down. I said, ‘If you don’t take him, somebody is going to hurt him because he lives in an environment that is not good. I’m scared.’ I asked him to put my son under his wing. He hugged me and he said, ‘I got you, baby girl, I got you.’ He said, ‘Because you’re the only Black momma that ever came up in here and said what they said about their son. And I got him. If he gets out of jail, I’ll take him.’”
Iverson had it rough from fans in other arenas during his first year at Georgetown, including during a game at the Spectrum in Philadelphia.
“Every time I went to shoot a free throw they’re screaming, ‘Jailbird! Jailbird!’” Iverson recalled. “I remember when we went to Villanova there were four guys with orange jumpsuits on and they had chains on. Coach [Thompson] took us off the floor and said we’re not going to play if they don’t get them out of there.
“[Thompson] protected me. I didn’t talk to the media. He didn’t let people attack me like they wanted to. He taught me everything. He would call me throughout my career and we never would talk about basketball. We always talked about life.”
In his first season at Georgetown, Iverson won Big East Rookie of the Year, and was named to the All Rookie Tournament First Team. His second year, he led the team to a Big East championship and into the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament. After that season, he declared for the NBA draft.
“When I made the decision to leave Georgetown, it was a lot of hoopla because no player ever left Georgetown early,” Iverson said. “I knew after the season that I could be in the top five. When I found out that Philly was getting the first pick, I knew I had a real chance, a good chance at being the No. 1 pick. I just wanted to be an NBA basketball player. That’s the only thing that mattered to me. I was going to play every game like it was my last.”
Iverson was drafted with the first overall pick in 1996, a stacked draft that included Ray Allen, Kobe Bryant, and Steve Nash. Despite a 22-60 record, he found quick success, earning Rookie of the Year and making highlight reel plays — including crossing over Michael Jordan.
After his rookie year, Larry Brown was hired as the Sixers coach; he didn’t completely see eye-to-eye with Iverson.
“We butted heads,” Iverson said. “I was immature, somewhat high-strung, didn’t see the big picture. … I had him all wrong. He had the blueprint already.
“He was able to make everyone else better by making me better. He just was a masterful coach. Billy King, and Pat [Croce], they put them guys around me that were willing to let me dominate. It was basically, you kill like you kill. And your deficiencies, the things you can’t do, we’re going to do all of those things.”
Sixers guard Allen Iverson and head coach Larry Brown during the team’s 110-100 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks in Game 6 of the 2001 Eastern Conference Finals. The Sixers would win Game 7 to advance to the NBA Finals.
At first, Brown and Iverson had a complicated relationship. It boiled over when Iverson didn’t show up to practice in 2002, leading to the legendary “practice” press conference.
“[Iverson] called me that night, late at night,” said Croce. “[He said], ‘I want Larry Brown fired.’ Larry Brown calls me, ‘You trade [Iverson] tomorrow. … Get rid of him.’ I said, ‘We’ll meet tomorrow. We’ll meet at the training facility.’ We went into this board room and it was ugly.
“Larry didn’t want to be called to the same level as his player. I didn’t care. ‘You’re not getting traded. And you’re not getting fired. I’ve never told either one of you what to do but I’m telling you right now. You’re both staying.’ … I said, ‘Both of you have the same love of basketball. Both of you have the intention and desire to win.’ I said, ‘You’re both looking in the mirror. Drop it.’ Allen got up, walked around the table, Larry stood up and he hugged and hugged for, it seemed like an eternity.”
Iverson led the Sixers to an appearance in the 2001 NBA Finals before falling to a Los Angeles Lakers team led by Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant.
“As a player, he’s one of the greatest players to ever play the game,” O’Neal said. “When it comes to a championship, you have to be on a great team. No disrespect to the Philadelphia 76ers team, Allen Iverson was by himself. So, when it comes to status and recognition, there’s a lot of champions that we don’t even know who they are. But I guarantee you, you know who Allen Iverson is.”
Allen Iverson sits with Aaron McKie and Matt Geiger in the 4th period.dnphoto/Reynolds
Culture changer
When Iverson was a kid, he didn’t have the best clothes in the neighborhood. Instead, he would wear his sister’s pants for three days of the week, and when he went to prom with Tawanna, who became his wife and the mother of his children, he wore a pair of shoes that were two and a half sizes too small.
“I think he had on sweat socks actually, with his too-small shoes,” Tawanna said. “He complained about it. He didn’t dance at all at prom. After prom, it was like at a sports facility, and he couldn’t wait to get out of his dress shoes and play basketball.”
A few years later, Iverson would never have to worry about wearing shoes two sizes too small again. The young player signed a lifetime contract with Reebok in 1996. Iverson’s impact on the league was transcendent. As a small guard, he revolutionized the way players dressed and carried themselves, inspiring an entire generation to want to be like him.
“I didn’t know I was doing it,” Iverson said. “I did it. But I didn’t know I was doing it. I didn’t know I was securing a way for these guys today to be themselves. I didn’t know I was doing it because I was stuck on, ‘I ain’t doing nothing wrong. I’m being myself.’
“This many years later, taking an a— whooping for it is a blessing. Because now you see you can do your [stuff]. But, Chuck took that a— whooping for it. I just thought it was unfair. And the best part about my God, I just knew I was going to get through it all without folding.”
Charles Barkley on ESPN! Sixers games on Amazon! Dogs and cats living together! Mass hysteria!
The NBA season tips off Tuesday, and with it begins new TV rights deals with NBC, ESPN, and Amazon that will reshape coverage of the league for the next decade plus.
There’s been a lot of handwringing over the NBA’s new national schedule, with exclusive games being broadcast nationally every night on different channels and streaming platforms. It’s quite a change, considering TNT had been broadcasting national games on Thursday nights for 36 years.
Despite the shuffling, not much will change for Sixers fans. Sixty nine of the team’s 82 games will air on NBC Sports Philadelphia (seven on NBC Sports Philadelphia+), with Kate Scott and Alaa Abdelnaby back to call all the action.
Abdelnaby, the former Duke standout and NBA player, is entering his 10th season calling Sixers games (and his fifth alongside Scott). He was hired in the middle of “The Process,” but despite the Sixers losing 72 games during his first season, last season was his most difficult as a broadcaster.
“Even though it wasn’t written in stone, we knew what they were doing” when the Sixers were intentionally losing games to gain assets, Abdelnaby told The Inquirer. “Last year, that wasn’t the case. They weren’t trying to do anything Process-ish … We kind of went through a whole season of not being relevant. And that stinks.”
Joel Embiid’s health will be the big question mark for the Sixers this season.
Abdelnaby has high hopes for this season, pinned on a potentially new role for Joel Embiid following his second knee surgery in 14 months. Embiid played 19 minutes in the Sixers’ final preseason game on Friday, telling reporters he was “in a good space” mentally and physically, though his status for the season opener against the Boston Celtics Wednesday remains uncertain.
Being around them for two games and at practice, Abdelnaby said the mood among the Sixers seemed more positive then the second half of last season. By his eye, the body language of the players and coaches point in the right direction.
“I think health has a lot to do with that,” Abdelnaby said. “At least I’m feeling a sense of optimism from the group, and that’s a good thing.”
The new NBA media deals have opened up broadcasting opportunities dramatically, with national games airing just about every night. While Abdelnaby used to call college basketball games for CBS Sports, he’s in no rush to return to a jet-setting lifestyle.
“When I did college, it was a rough and tumble existence,” Abdelnaby said. ” I think I’ve gotten soft over the last 10 years, because now I fly on their plane, I don’t have to rent a car in the middle of nowhere and return it … I am so spoiled.”
As far as NBC Sports Philadelphia’s studio goes, Amy Fadool, Marc Jackson, and former Sixers head coach Jim Lynam return for Sixers pre- and postgame coverage.
Sixers games can also be heard on 97.5 The Fanatic, with Tom McGinnis returning for his 31st season calling games.
New NBA weekly national schedule
While the bulk of the Sixers’ regular-season games will air on NBC Sports Philadelphia, 13 games will air nationally across a host of services.
Here’s a general breakdown of the NBA’s national broadcast and streaming schedule this season:
Sunday: NBC/Peacock and ABC/ESPN (beginning midseason)
Monday: Peacock
Tuesday: NBC/Peacock
Wednesday: ESPN
Thursday: Prime Video (beginning midseason)
Friday: Prime Video and ESPN (beginning midseason)
Saturday: Prime Video and ABC/ESPN (beginning midseason)
After 23 years, NBA returns to NBC
Hall of Famer Michael Jordan will make his NBC debut Tuesday night.
Michael Jordan is making the leap to NBA pundit (sort-of) as NBC airs games for the first time since the 2002 season.
Jordan won’t make his debut Tuesday as a studio analyst. Instead, he’ll appear via a prerecorded interview with Mike Tirico during NBC’s debut. The network hasn’t said how frequently Jordan will contribute, but those taped segments are expected to be scattered throughout the season.
NBC will start the season broadcasting a Tuesday doubleheader, with the East Coast and West Coast getting different prime-time games during most weeks (both will stream live on Peacock).
NBC will also debut Sunday Night Basketball beginning Feb. 1, after the end of the NFL season. The network’s NBA coverage will pause after that for the first two weeks in February for the 2026 Olympics in Milan, Italy.
After practicing with the Sixers and a few other teams last season, Tirico said he’ll call the first couple of Tuesday night games for NBC before focusing on his NFL duties through the playoffs. He’ll also has his duties as the host of the Olympics to contend with.
The Sixers are scheduled to appear on NBC four times, beginning with their Nov. 11 matchup against the Boston Celtics at the newly-named Xfinity Mobile Arena.
Play-by-play voices: Mike Tirico, Noah Eagle, Terry Gannon, Michael Grady
Game analysts: Reggie Miller, Grant Hill, Jamal Crawford, Brad Daugherty, Derek Fisher, Austin Rivers, Brian Scalabrine, Robbie Hummel
Studio analysts: Carmelo Anthony, Vince Carter, Tracy McGrady
Sixers fans will also need Peacock and Amazon’s Prime Video
NBA games will stream on Peacock Monday and Tuesday nights.
The streaming wars have finally come for NBA fans.
With TNT out of the picture, Sixers completists will need to sign up for two streaming services to watch all of Philly’s 82 games.
The first is Peacock, NBC’s subscription streaming service, which is slated to stream 40 exclusive NBA games, as well as every game airing on NBC.
As of now, Peacock is scheduled to exclusively stream just one Sixers game — a matchup against Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets on Jan. 5.
Amazon’s Prime Video will stream NBA games two nights a week after the NFL season ends.
The second streaming service Sixers fans will need is Amazon Prime Video, which will stream 66 regular-season NBA games, including a bulk of the Emirates NBA cup and a new Black Friday game.
The Sixers are scheduled to play in four games on Prime Video, beginning with their Halloween night matchup against the Celtics in Philly.
If you’re an NBA League Pass subscriber, one cool feature on Prime Video is the ability to make your own multiview featuring up to four live NBA games.
Prime Video comes with Amazon Prime, but you can also subscribe to it directly for $9 a month.
One familiar face will be Sixers veteran Kyle Lowry, who is slated to make “select appearances” on Amazon’s NBA coverage this season. Amazon’s studio show, which will feature Blake Griffin and Dirk Nowitzki, could be a fun watch.
Charles Barkley and the ‘Inside the NBA’ crew heading to ESPN
Hall of Famer and former Sixers star Charles Barkley will be seen on ESPN this season.
TNT lost the NBA but is keeping its studio show. It’s just going to air on another network.
Inside the NBA, the beloved studio show featuring Charles Barkley, Shaquille O’Neal, Kenny Smith, and Ernie Johnson, is jumping to ESPN while still being produced by TNT Sports. They’ll make their debut Wednesday at 6 p.m. as part of ESPN’s season-opening doubleheader.
ESPN has said there would be no changes to the show, beyond a lopsided schedule. Barkley and company are only scheduled appear three more times before Christmas — Thursday, Oct. 29, and Nov. 12.
“We always go to 2 in the morning. They said they’re going to give us time,” Barkley said in a recent interview with NBA columnist Steve Bulpett. “We were concerned they’re going to be like, ‘No, you gotta go to SportsCenter or you’ve got to leave when we’re on ABC and go to the local affiliates.’ That’s the only two things we were concerned with.”
The only remaining TV partner from last season, ESPN will mostly air NBA games on Wednesday nights, with some other nights and holidays thrown into the mix. They’ll also add Friday night games beginning Jan. 16, with most airing on ABC.
This time, Doris Burke is out, replaced by longtime ESPN analyst and former La Salle standout Tim Legler, who will join Mike Breen and Richard Jefferson. Burke will still call NBA games alongside Dave Pasch.
Plus, sources say that Chief Vibes Officer Brandon Graham is on his way back to the Eagles, too, to bolster an edge rusher corps that is navigating the surprise retirement of Za’Darius Smith last week.
But to enter the bye week on a high note, the Eagles must face the New York Giants, their division rivals who handed them a blowout loss two weeks ago. The Giants will try to bounce back after a fourth-quarter collapse against the Denver Broncos on Sunday, leading to a 33-32 loss.
Here’s what we know (and what we don’t) about the Eagles entering their Week 8 matchup against the Giants:
Lights, camera, play-action
The Eagles came out of the mini-bye week wanting to establish the running game. That didn’t work. Brian Flores’ defense limited Saquon Barkley to just 44 yards on 18 carries, good for a 2.4 yards per attempt (his second-lowest clip this season).
Still, the Eagles utilized the threat of the running game successfully against the Vikings, which is a step in the right direction. The offense incorporated play-action passes from under center on Sunday more frequently than in the previous six weeks of the season.
In Weeks 1-6, the Eagles had five under-center play-action drop backs, according to Next Gen Stats. One of them resulted in a scramble. Another went for 1 yard. The others resulted in incompletions or penalties.
Sunday was different. Hurts had four play-action dropbacks from under center, which resulted in four completions for 121 yards and a touchdown. Why was it so effective? For one, the Eagles had established a tendency of running the ball when Hurts is lined up under center before the snap. Entering Sunday’s game, 42 of the Eagles’ 48 plays from under center were carries (87.5%).
By establishing that tendency (and continuing to do so with 15 under-center runs on Sunday), the Vikings aligned a safety in the box in anticipation of the run, especially when the Eagles utilized Fred Johnson as an extra offensive lineman. The Eagles made them pay by occasionally breaking that tendency, especially on the 79-yard touchdown pass to DeVonta Smith, which occurred when the offense was in that jumbo package.
“We had an answer for it,” Barkley said of Smith’s touchdown play. “We called it at the right time. That’s the beauty of this game. They can do whatever they want, but we should always have answers. I think that’s the mentality we’ve got to continue to get back to.”
Could we see more play-action passes from under center? And could the Eagles’ success in doing so on Sunday thwart defenses from loading up the box when Hurts lines up under center? That would benefit Barkley, who is averaging just 3.3 yards per carry this season, far behind the league’s average of 4.3.
Nick Sirianni noted Monday that the uptick in under-center plays was a byproduct of the self-scout from the mini-bye week. He emphasized the importance of meshing the running and play-action passing games seamlessly, as it challenges the defense to convert from run to pass on the fly.
“We will see how things move forward as far as the ways we want to attack,” Sirianni said. “Every game calls for different things. This is what this game called for, and these are some of the things that came off our self-scout. We’ll continue to work and find ways to get better.”
Feel the Burns
Barkley hasn’t been getting a consistent boost in the running game from the Eagles’ offensive line this year. The group has been reeling from injuries. Cam Jurgens suffered the latest, exiting Sunday’s game after the second drive with a knee injury.
With Jurgens’ status in question for the rematch against the Giants, the Eagles could turn to a backup at center, which could present all sorts of challenges against a formidable defensive front.
Giants edge rusher Brian Burns had four sacks over the last two games, including dropping Jalen Hurts twice on Oct. 9.
The Giants exploited the Eagles’ weaknesses on the offensive line in their last matchup. Brett Toth started at left guard in place of the injured Landon Dickerson (ankle). Brian Burns notched two sacks against the left side of the offensive line, once on a stunt and another from 3 yards off the line of scrimmage.
Burns has four sacks in his last two games, after adding two more in their loss to the Broncos. The good news for the Eagles is that Dickerson started and finished Sunday’s game against the Vikings. His presence against the Giants would help stabilize the left side of the line and minimize Burns’ impact when he lines up on that side.
But if Jurgens can’t play, the Eagles could turn to Toth at center. He would be tasked with keeping Dexter Lawrence, the three-time Pro Bowler, at bay.
Lawrence hasn’t been as disruptive as a pass rusher as he was last season and hasn’t posted a sack this year. Still, Lawrence is an important part of the Giants’ defensive front, ranking fourth on the team with 15 “stops,” which Next Gen Stats defines as tackles that result in a successful play for the defense.
Scramblin’ man
The last time the Eagles faced the Giants, rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart got his legs going. He scrambled five times for 42 yards and a touchdown, which helped him reach career highs of 58 rushing yards and 13 attempts.
Vic Fangio’s defense has struggled at times to prevent quarterbacks from breaking loose. Unsurprisingly, Patrick Mahomes did the most damage against the Eagles this year (seven scrambles for 66 yards), but even Wentz, 32, had a couple of long third-down scrambles totaling 28 yards late Sunday as the Vikings attempted a comeback.
Improved tackling would be a good place for the Eagles to start. Dart forced three missed tackles against the Eagles, according to Pro Football Focus. That was a new achievement for Dart, who didn’t force a missed tackle in any of his three other starts this season.
New York Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart finished with 42 yards on five scrambles against the Eagles on Oct. 9.
The rookie quarterback did not scramble against the Broncos, although he made passing plays on the move. According to Next Gen Stats, Dart completed four of six passes for 101 yards and a touchdown when running over 8 mph. Keeping Dart contained will take a group effort from the Eagles, in terms of the pass rush and coverage.
Carter’s return
Speaking of keeping Dart contained, Jalen Carter returned to action Sunday after missing the Week 6 game against the Giants with a heel injury.
Wentz certainly felt his presence. In the second quarter, a simulated pressure left Carter one-on-one with Blake Brandel, the third-string center. Carter breezed past Brandel and launched himself toward Wentz, forcing the quarterback to make an ill-advised throw over the middle to Jalyx Hunt, who snagged the ball and returned it for a pick-six.
Even though Carter has been banged up this season, between heel and shoulder injuries, the Eagles could have used his talent and physicality against the Giants. In his absence, the group finished with a 26.5% pressure rate against New York two weeks ago, its lowest of the season, according to Next Gen Stats.
Carter attempted to make up for lost time on Sunday. He led the team with six pressures against the Vikings, according to Next Gen Stats. His fourth-quarter stunt with Jordan Davis provided the initial pressure on Wentz that helped Joshua Uche register his first sack with the Eagles.
Phillies pitcher Orion Kerkering gets replaced by manager Rob Thomson in the eighth inning against the Atlanta Braves on Sunday, August 31, 2025 in Philadelphia.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
The Phillies are primed for big changes. Who needs to come back, and who needs to go? Swipe and decide
For the second straight year, the Phillies won the National League East. And for the second straight year, the season came to an unceremonious end in the National League Division Series.
Dave Dombrowski tried to improve the roster at the margins last winter, signing pitchers Joe Ross and Jordan Romano and outfielder Max Kepler to one-year deals and trading for Jesús Luzardo. Neither Ross nor Romano threw a pitch for the Phillies after August.
The Phillies have around $170 million committed to eight players for 2026, plus nine arbitration-eligible players. But with several key members of the Phillies core set to hit free agency this year, they are primed for bigger changes. Will they go bigger and bolder this year?
“You’re always looking to get better, so we will be open-minded to that,” Dombrowski said at his year-end press conference on Thursday. “I think it's a little bit different in that there's some built-in situations for us that are going to have to be addressed. So where you go as a club is very much dictated on some of those moves that end up happening.”
As the Phillies consider their next move, you can have your say. Make your pick for each player by swiping the cards below — right for Stay or left for Go. Yes, just like Tinder. Finding it hard to decide? We'll also show you how other Inquirer readers have voted so far and what we think the team will do.
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Pitchers
For the first time under manager Rob Thomson, the Phillies have a bona-fide closer to go with a top-end starting rotation. But some changes will be coming, with Ranger Suárez heading to free agency and the enduring Andrew Painter question. The Phillies also have to address their middle relief corps. Navigating the bridge from their starters to Jhoan Duran was a weakness during the playoffs.
#45
Zack
Wheeler
All-Star
Crowd says
Contract
Signed thru '27
Age
35
Inky Says Stay
March: Wheeler is expected back from thoracic outlet surgery in the first half of ’26. He had a 2.71 ERA before his diagnosis and was building another Cy Young-caliber year.
#55
Ranger
Suárez
Crowd says
Contract
Free agent
Age
30
Inky Says Go
March: Suárez is primed for a big payday, but with a crowded rotation and Andrew Painter on the way, it’s unlikely the Phillies will outbid other teams to keep him.
#27
Aaron
Nola
Crowd says
Contract
Signed thru '30
Age
32
Inky Says Stay
March: Hampered by injuries, Nola had a career-worst 6.01 ERA. But some better starts late in the year showed flashes of the old Nola, signaling a bounce back next season.
#50
Orion
Kerkering
Crowd says
Contract
Pre-arbitration
Age
24
Inky Says Stay
March: If Kerkering regains confidence after that brutal finish, he’s worth keeping. Despite inconsistent execution, his 33.5% hard-hit rate at age 24 signals back-end potential.
#61
Cristopher
Sánchez
Crowd says
Contract
Signed thru '28
Age
28
Inky Says Stay
March: Sánchez stepped into the role of the Phillies’ ace in the absence of Zack Wheeler. He had a 2.50 ERA over 202 innings (22 quality starts) and his 8.0 bWAR led all pitchers.
#46
Jose
Alvarado
Crowd says
Contract
Club option
Age
30
Inky Says Stay
March: If the Phillies are betting on first-half Alvarado — who had a 2.70 ERA and a 99 mph fastball before his PED suspension — it’s worth exercising their club option.
#58
Tanner
Banks
Crowd says
Contract
Arbitration elig.
Age
33
Inky Says Stay
March: Banks has developed into a reliable option against left-handed hitters, holding them to a .175 batting average this season.
#31
Walker
Buehler
Crowd says
Contract
Free agent
Age
31
Inky Says Go
March: Buehler had a 0.66 ERA in a tiny sample size (13⅔ innings) with the Phillies, but had major struggles with command all year. It would be risky to commit a rotation spot.
#59
Jhoan
Duran
Crowd says
Contract
Arbitration elig.
Age
27
Inky Says Stay
March: As the Phillies’ closer, Duran is the anchor of the bullpen. His 32 saves in 2025 were a career high.
#44
Jesús
Luzardo
Crowd says
Contract
Signed thru '26
Age
28
Inky Says Stay
March: Luzardo had some rough patches, but overall put together a strong season. His 183⅔ innings were a career high, and he finished second in the NL in strikeouts (216).
#54
Tim
Mayza
Crowd says
Contract
Free agent
Age
33
Inky Says Stay
March: Mayza pitched only 16⅔ innings in an injury-plagued season, but left-handed relievers with a 53.8% ground-ball rate can be hard to come by. He could be worth another shot.
#30
David
Robertson
Crowd says
Contract
Free agent
Age
40
Inky Says Go
March: Robertson had a 28.2% strikeout rate in 20 games. He has undeniable experience, but will be entering his age-41 season and the Phillies may prefer to build for the future.
#68
Jordan
Romano
Crowd says
Contract
Free agent
Age
32
Inky Says Go
March: Romano was a reclamation project that didn't pan out, and he ended the season on the injured list after struggling to an 8.23 ERA. A change of scenery will be best for all.
#25
Matt
Strahm
Crowd says
Contract
Signed thru '26
Age
33
Inky Says Stay
March: One of the leaders in the bullpen, Strahm can get lefties and righties out and is a solid setup man for Jhoan Duran. Strahm held opponents to a 4.3% barrel rate in 2025.
#57
Lou
Trivino
Crowd says
Contract
Free agent
Age
34
Inky Says Go
March: Trivino had a 1.343 WHIP across three teams. Though his numbers improved with the Phillies late in the year, they may prefer a more consistent middle relief option.
#99
Taijuan
Walker
Crowd says
Contract
Signed thru '26
Age
33
Inky Says Stay
March: Walker improved from his 2024 season as he bounced between the rotation and bullpen. There were still inconsistencies, but his fastball velocity increased to 92.1 mph.
It isn’t usually the best idea to offer a multiyear contract to a catcher who is entering his age-35 season and coming off his worst offensive season in 10 years. But here’s the question: If not J.T. Realmuto, then who? The pitchers swear by Realmuto, and the Phillies are built on pitching. Maybe it isn’t such a difficult decision after all.
#10
J.T.
Realmuto
Crowd says
Contract
Free agent
Age
34
Inky Says Stay
Lauber: Signing a 35-year-old catcher to a multiyear contract usually isn't wise. But what's the alternative? As Cristopher Sánchez said, “We’re basically nothing without him."
#13
Rafael
Marchán
Crowd says
Contract
Arbitration elig.
Age
26
Inky Says Stay
Lauber: How do you evaluate a catcher who plays once a week? Say this: There's upside for a larger workload, although he remains the backup to J.T. Realmuto or a replacement.
#21
Garrett
Stubbs
Crowd says
Contract
Arbitration elig.
Age
32
Inky Says Stay
Lauber: After stepping back to triple A, he's out of minor league options. But if there's a way to keep him and Rafael Marchàn in the organization, catching depth is important.
The infield, to quote Dombrowski, is “pretty well solidified.” The Phillies prefer to keep Bryce Harper at first base, and Trea Turner quieted talk of a position change by making drastic improvements in his defense at shortstop. Bryson Stott will likely reprise his role at second base, with Edmundo Sosa providing an option against left-handed pitching. Get ready, then, for another round of Alec Bohm trade rumors. Third base is the one spot where change could be coming.
#7
Trea
Turner
Crowd says
Contract
Signed thru '33
Age
32
Inky Says Stay
Lauber: Behold the NL batting champ. Also, one of four Phillies players to bat .300 with at least 175 hits, 15 homers, and 30 steals in a season. He's squarely in his prime.
#3
Bryce
Harper
Crowd says
Contract
Signed thru '31
Age
33
Inky Says Stay
Lauber: Something seemed … off? … all season. Maybe it was his achy right wrist. He still finished 11th in OPS among NL hitters. Everything continues to revolve around No. 3.
#28
Alec
Bohm
Crowd says
Contract
Arbitration elig.
Age
29
Inky Says Go
Lauber: Get ready for another winter as a walking trade rumor. But after an injury-filled, league-average season with Bohm entering his walk year, the Phillies will be selling low.
#4
Otto
Kemp
Crowd says
Contract
Pre-arbitration
Age
26
Inky Says Stay
Lauber: An undrafted Division II college player reaching the majors was one of the year's best Phillies stories. He'll have a chance to stick around as a right-handed bench bat.
#33
Edmundo
Sosa
Crowd says
Contract
Arbitration elig.
Age
29
Inky Says Stay
Lauber: A versatile fill-in all over the infield, he's also the lefty-mashing half of a potential second-base platoon with Bryson Stott. Either way, he brings energy and value.
#5
Bryson
Stott
Crowd says
Contract
Arbitration elig.
Age
28
Inky Says Stay
Lauber: He batted .310 with an .880 OPS after Aug. 1 by lowering his hands and moving closer to the plate, à la Kyle Schwarber. Maybe it unlocked peak Stott. At last.
It’s possible the Phillies could have an entirely new outfield. Nick Castellanos isn’t expected back. Harrison Bader and Kepler are free agents, with only Bader on the Phillies’ radar. Justin Crawford is on the way, but will he play center field or left? The answer could impact Brandon Marsh’s future. It’s the most unsettled area on the field … again. Oh, and there’s a $125-ish million question at DH, with free agent Kyle Schwarber.
#12
Kyle
Schwarber
All-Star
Crowd says
Contract
Free agent
Age
32
Inky Says Stay
Lauber: As long as the Phillies are spending $125 million or so, what about a solid outfield defender with a low strikeout rate? Cody Bellinger, anyone? Probably not over Schwarber.
#8
Nick
Castellanos
Crowd says
Contract
Signed thru '26
Age
33
Inky Says Go
Lauber: In a hitting-depressed era, someone (Royals? Reds? Giants?) may take a one-year flier. How much of his $20 million salary must the Phillies eat? Regardless, he's gone.
#16
Brandon
Marsh
Crowd says
Contract
Arbitration elig.
Age
27
Inky Says Stay
Lauber: Subtract April, and he was seventh among NL outfielders in OPS (.836). How's that for a trade pitch? Problem is, he's one of the Phillies' few outfield assets.
#2
Harrison
Bader
Crowd says
Contract
Mutual option
Age
31
Inky Says Go
Lauber: If the Phillies are honest, he surpassed expectations after a deadline trade. Assuming he declines his $10 million option, bid him farewell and usher in Justin Crawford.
#17
Max
Kepler
Crowd says
Contract
Free agent
Age
32
Inky Says Go
Lauber: A .791 OPS in August and September kept him from being a total bust. Overall, he underperformed a $10 million, one-year contract. He isn't the answer in left field.
#23
Johan
Rojas
Crowd says
Contract
Pre-arbitration
Age
25
Inky Says Go
Lauber: You could do worse for late-inning defense and speed off the bench. But after Rojas was sent back to the minors in July, a change of scenery is probably best for everyone.
#37
Weston
Wilson
Crowd says
Contract
Pre-arbitration
Age
31
Inky Says Stay
Lauber: He's out of minor league options, which could be a factor in a potential spring-training competition with Otto Kemp for a spot as a right-handed hitter off the bench.
All Outfielders rated!
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Staff Contributors
Development: Sam Morris and Jasen Lo
Design: Sam Morris, Jasen Lo, and Luke Reasoner
Reporting: Scott Lauber and Lochlahn March
Editing: John Roberts and Jim Swan
Photo Editing: Danese Kenon
Photography: Staff Photographers, additional photography provided by Associated Press
Joel Embiid sat in front of reporters at Xfinity Mobile Arena on Friday night and shared his new definition of success. And for the 76ers star, that thought process isn’t necessarily measured by offensive output.
He preached teamwork after earning seven consecutive All-Star berths, two straight scoring titles, and the 2023 Most Valuable Player award. Yet, in true Embiid fashion, the 31-year-old also acknowledged that he’s aware of some narratives about him, about the belief that he is no longer a dominant force.
“I’m here to help,” Embiid said after he finished with 14 points, seven rebounds, eight assists, and three steals in a 126-110 preseason victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves. “According to a lot of your peers [in the media], I’m not even a top-100 basketball player in the league. So I guess I’ve just got to fit in and see where I can help the team win basketball games.
“So, if that’s playing defense and stretching the floor, that’s what I’m going to do.”
Embiid was referring to The Ringer excluding him from its top-100 list that was released Wednesday. While that might be a head-scratching omission, he is perceived differently heading into this season because of a nagging left knee injury that limited him to 19 games last season.
ESPN ranks him 47th in its ranking of the NBA’s top 100 players, which is a significant drop from the previous year’s No. 8 ranking. SI.com ranks him 17th, USA Today 19th, For The Win 21st, Hoopshype 23rd, and Bleacher Report 26th.
The consensus is that when healthy, Embiid is a top-10 player. However, the rankings reflect concerns about his left knee surgery in April, his second in 14 months and third in nine years, and the fact that he was limited to 58 games over the last two seasons.
Sixers center Joel Embiid (left) with guard Tyrese Maxey, appears to be content as a facilitator.
But in September, Embiid said he felt good.
“I think we made a lot of progress over the last couple of months,” he said. “We got a plan in place. Try to check off all the boxes, so just taking it day by day. This is still kind of like a feel period where we’re just taking it day by day.”
That approach is the reason that even with his healthy status, the Sixers have yet to determine Embiid’s availability for the season opener Wednesday against the Boston Celtics at TD Garden. It’s also tied to the team’s uncertainty about when Embiid will suit up or rest this season.
“I want to be as honest as possible,” Embiid said. “I think going forward, I’m just going to listen to the body. I’ll be honest and say it’s going to be unpredictable at times, and that’s OK. We’ve got to work with that. We’ve got to take it day by day and go from there. The only thing I’m focused on is that every time we’re on the right path, keep going.
“If there’s something that happens in that time, it’s OK. Just focus on fixing it and keep going. That’s my mentality.”
The goal is to remain healthy for the postseason, where he’ll need to play at a high level for the Sixers to sustain success.
Right now, it’s OK for Embiid to be a pass-first big man anchored at the elbow or on the perimeter. As we saw Friday and in an intrasquad scrimmage on Oct. 12, his presence makes things easier for teammates. He routinely finds them on cuts to the basket and delivers open layup opportunities as they streak up the court.
Embiid also has adapted well to playing power forward in a twin tower lineup with reserve center Adem Bona. The Sixers have high-percentage scoring plays in which Embiid receives the ball at the elbow and dishes to Bona under the basket.
Sixers center Joel Embiid had 14 points, seven rebounds, a game-high eight assists, and three steals in Friday’s exhibition finale against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
But as well as Embiid has played, the pace was incredibly different when he wasn’t in the game. The Sixers pushed the ball much harder, and it’s fair to wonder if that’s going to improve while he’s on the floor.
And unlike in seasons past, the standout center rarely rolled to the basket. Will that change over time when he becomes more comfortable? Or is this his new way of playing after the knee surgeries? Time may provide an answer as we watch Embiid play.
But for now, he sounds content with this new role.
“We got a bunch of athletes,” Embiid said. “We’ve got to release them. … They’ve got to run. My job is to find them and, in a way, that also kind of saves me, because if we get early baskets and easy baskets, I won’t have to run up and down. I can just let those guys push the pace, attack. And if we don’t have anything, I’ve always trailed anyway in my career. Then I can come in and get into the offense.”
The 76ers entered last season with a brand new Big Three and big expectations to match. They appeared to be a shoo-in for the postseason and a potential contender in the Eastern Conference. Neither projection came to pass as injuries sat down Joel Embiid and Paul George for much of the year, and left Tyrese Maxey, Quentin Grimes and Co. to gut out most of the season before giving up on the season and resorting to tanking.
That said, this season appears to be much more of a mystery. After down seasons, Embiid and George have both vowed to come back stronger and help the Sixers win. Maxey has another All-Star caliber performance under his belt and Grimes has something to play for after signing his one-year qualifying offer. The Inquirer’s staff took a shot at predicting how this season will turn out for one of the NBA’s most enigmatic franchises.
Consider me somebody who agrees with the league’s general managers, who in their annual NBA.com preseason survey overwhelmingly voted the Sixers as the team whose outlook is toughest to predict in the 2025-26 season. Maybe I’m irrationally optimistic about Joel Embiid’s recent return to the court; it’s almost more important that he fully practiced two days after playing his preseason debut. But I see the Sixers carefully navigating their stars’ health throughout the regular season, executing a high-tempo style that can better survive those absences, and making it out of the play-in tournament. Then, they put a scare into the Cleveland Cavaliers, New York Knicks (remember how fun that series was two years ago) or Orlando Magic, before falling in that first-round series. At the very least, the Sixers will be a much more entertaining watch with Tyrese Maxey, VJ Edgecombe, Quentin Grimes, and (eventually) Jared McCain in the backcourt. Everybody who slogged through last season’s misery deserves that.
The Sixers’ Paul George, Andre Drummond and Tyrese Maxey watch their team play at the Wells Fargo Center.
Keith Pompey, Sixers beat writer
Record: 44-38
Postseason Performance: First round
No one, not even Sixers coach Nick Nurse or star player Joel Embiid can come close to accurately predicting how this season will go. That’s because there are way too many uncertainties surrounding the health and level of play Embiid and Paul George. But in what is expected to be a wide-open Eastern Conference, the Sixers should have a chance to clinch the sixth seed and avoid the NBA Play-In Tournament.
But clinching a first-round berth might be the ceiling, barring a few miracles. The Sixers just aren’t deep enough to beat the Cleveland Cavaliers, New York Knicks, Orlando Magic, Atlanta Hawks, and Detroit Pistons in a playoff series. And they might have a tough time defeating the Milwaukee Bucks if Giannis Antetokounmpo plays at an MVP level.
Marcus Hayes, Inquirer columnist
Record: 38-44
Postseason performance: Non-participant
Any preseason prediction regarding this 76ers season is a fool’s errand. Joel Embiid is in better shape, but, given his injury history and proclivity, is unlikely to play in even 60 games. Paul George has a bad knee, he’s 35, and he’ll be lucky to play in 40 games. Jared McCain, the only young player with proven NBA upside, has been hurt twice (knee, thumb), and no one know’s when he’ll be back.
Which leaves the team with Tyrese Maxey, rookie project V.J. Edgecombe, and various Kelly Oubre Jr. types. If the stars align, the Sixers will make the playoffs, win a round, maybe even two. If the stars remain crossed, they’ll miss the postseason. Given the 13 years of curses they’ve earned trying to beat the system with The Process, a disaster in both concept and execution, expecting the stars to uncross at this point is as foolhardy as any serious attempt at predicting an outcome of any season.
Last season, basically everything that could go wrong did go wrong for the Sixers. This season feels virtually impossible to predict, because the variance in outcomes is so wide. The Sixers could keep Tyrese Maxey, Jared McCain, and VJ Edgecombe mostly healthy this year, and get just enough games from Joel Embiid and Paul George to stay playoff competitive. They could have the disastrous injury luck of the 2024-25 season, and end up back in the lottery. Who knows, maybe they get supremely lucky and almost everyone is available all year? That feels like a bridge too far for the Sixers. But in what looks like it could be a down year for the Eastern Conference, making the Play-In and winning a game feels doable.
