Those Liberty Ballers

Still high off the Eagles' Super Bowl win, I turn to another Philadelphia team with promise.

Several years ago, some sources were debating the Philadelphia 76ers and their rank among the worst NBA teams of all time as they were in the middle of an abysmal 10-72 campaign.  Now, fresh off a 52-30 season, the Sixers are poised to win a playoff series and may go deep into the playoffs.  Why the turn-around?  Smart drafting, certainly, but there's more to it than that: it takes a culture change.  From the linked ESPN article:

The Sixers have embraced a basic human truth -- people want to tell their stories -- and turned it into a team-building exercise.

Stories.  We love stories.  In a nutshell, stories add emotion and relevance to straight data.  Because at the end of the day, we're not fueled by plain facts- we're powered by stories that give those facts meaning.  We all have and hold different stories about ourselves, the world, each other- and those stories drive us forward, leading to powerful change.  In the Sixers case, it's helped turned a moribund franchise into a powerhouse in two short years.

The other thing I appreciate is their diverse makeup.  Three foreign-born stars- Joel Embiid (Cameroon), Dario Saric (Croatia), and Ben Simmons (Australia)- are all under 25 years old and leading the charge.  JJ Redick, Robert Covington, and Marco Belinelli add veteran poise, and rookie Markelle Fultz may finally be rounding into form off an injury.  They're fun personalities and fun to watch- I hope they go far. Here is their depth chart.

I grew up a David Robinson and San Antonio Spurs fan, and that franchise holds a special place in my heart for their unselfish play, quiet stars (Robinson, Tim Duncan, Kawhi Leonard), international finds (Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili, etc.), and no-nonsense, 'back to basics' style.  But change is in the air- my heart increasingly leans towards all things Philly- and those Liberty Ballers make it easy to do.  Phila Unite!