Philadelphia 76ers

The Philadelphia 76ers are an American professional basketball franchise based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The team competes in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Eastern Conference’s Atlantic Division. Founded in 1946 as the Syracuse Nationals in the National Basketball League (NBL), the franchise is one of the oldest in the NBA. They relocated to Philadelphia in 1963, adopting the name “76ers” to honor the 1776 signing of the Declaration of Independence.

The 76ers have won three NBA championships (1955 as Syracuse Nationals, in 1967, and 1983) and have advanced to the NBA Finals nine times. The franchise is best known for the 1966-67 team led by Wilt Chamberlain that posted a then-record 68-13 regular season, and the 1982-83 championship team featuring Julius Erving and Moses Malone that dominated the playoffs with minimal losses. More recently, the team has featured stars including Allen Iverson, who led the franchise to the 2001 Finals, and current center Joel Embiid, a former MVP.

As of February 2026, the 76ers are navigating significant adversity following star forward Paul George’s 25-game suspension for violating the NBA’s anti-drug policy. Under the ownership of Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment (Josh Harris and David Blitzer), the leadership of President of Basketball Operations Daryl Morey, and the coaching direction of Nick Nurse, the team holds a 30-22 record and sits fifth in the Eastern Conference.

Syracuse Nationals Era (1946–1963)

The franchise was founded in 1946 in Syracuse, New York, as the Syracuse Nationals, initially in the NBL before joining the NBA when the leagues merged in 1949. Led by Hall of Fame forward Dolph Schayes, the Nationals won the 1955 NBA championship, defeating the Fort Wayne Pistons in seven games. The team qualified for the playoffs in every season played in Syracuse and reached three NBA Finals.

In 1963, unable to secure a suitable modern arena in Syracuse, the franchise relocated to Philadelphia and rebranded as the Philadelphia 76ers. The move brought professional basketball back to Philadelphia for the first time since the Warriors departed for San Francisco in 1962.

The Wilt Chamberlain Era and 1967 Championship (1964–1968)

In 1964, the 76ers acquired Philadelphia-native Wilt Chamberlain from the San Francisco Warriors in a franchise-altering trade. Chamberlain, who had attended Overbrook High School in Philadelphia and began his NBA career with the Philadelphia Warriors, returned home as the league’s most dominant player.

The 1966-67 season delivered the franchise’s greatest achievement. Under coach Alex Hannum, the 76ers posted a 68-13 record, the best in NBA history at that time, and went on to defeat the San Francisco Warriors 4-2 in the NBA Finals to capture the championship. Chamberlain won MVP honors, and the team was later voted the best in NBA history during the league’s 35th anniversary celebration in 1980.

During this era, Chamberlain achieved numerous individual records, including his franchise-record 68-point game against Chicago on December 16, 1967, and on February 2, 1968, he completed the only “double triple-double” in NBA history (22 points, 25 rebounds, 21 assists against Detroit).

However, following the 1967-68 season, Hannum departed to coach closer to his family on the West Coast, and an unhappy Chamberlain demanded a trade. He was dealt to the Lakers, beginning a period of decline for the franchise.

The Dark Years (1972–1973)

The franchise hit rock bottom in the 1972-73 season, winning only nine games while losing 73, the worst record in an 82-game NBA season at that time and one of the worst in league history. The team’s struggles were so profound that they became a cautionary tale about organizational dysfunction.

The Julius Erving Era and 1983 Championship (1976–1987)

Salvation arrived in October 1976 when the 76ers acquired Julius “Dr. J” Erving from the New York Nets for $3 million, roughly equivalent to the cost of NBA membership following the ABA-NBA merger. Erving, a three-time ABA MVP, immediately transformed the franchise with his revolutionary athleticism and aerial artistry.

The 76ers reached the NBA Finals in 1977 (losing to Portland), 1980 (losing to the Lakers), and 1982 (losing to the Lakers again). Despite consistent excellence, championship success eluded the team until the acquisition of center Moses Malone in September 1982.

Before the 1982-83 season, when asked about the playoffs, Malone famously said “fo’, fo’, fo’”, meaning the 76ers would sweep all three playoff rounds. The team nearly fulfilled his prophecy, finishing 12-1 in the playoffs (sweeping the Knicks and sweeping the Lakers in the Finals, with one loss to Milwaukee in the conference finals).

The 1982-83 76ers finished 65-17 in the regular season, second-best in franchise history. Malone won league MVP, and Erving earned All-Star Game MVP. In the Finals sweep of the Lakers, Malone averaged 26.0 points and 15.8 rebounds, winning Finals MVP. The championship remains Philadelphia’s most recent title.

Post-Championship Decline (1986–1996)

On June 16, 1986, the franchise made two devastating personnel moves: trading Malone to Washington and dealing the first overall pick in the 1986 draft (which became Brad Daugherty) to Cleveland for Roy Hinson, Jeff Ruland, and Cliff Robinson; none of whom played more than three seasons with the team.

Julius Erving retired after the 1986-87 season following a farewell tour. The franchise entered a prolonged decline, culminating in an 18-64 record in 1995-96, one of the worst seasons in franchise history.

The Allen Iverson Era (1996–2006)

With the first overall pick in the 1996 NBA Draft, the 76ers selected Georgetown guard Allen Iverson. The 6’0″ scoring phenomenon became one of the NBA’s most electrifying players, winning Rookie of the Year and subsequently the MVP award in 2001, becoming one of the shortest players to win the accolade. 

The 2000-01 season delivered the franchise’s first Finals appearance since 1983. Led by Iverson’s 31.1 points per game, the 76ers finished 56-24 and defeated Milwaukee in the Eastern Conference Finals. In the NBA Finals against the Lakers, Iverson scored 48 points in Game 1’s overtime victory, but Philadelphia lost the series 4-1.

The franchise made the playoffs consistently during Iverson’s tenure but never returned to the Finals. Iverson was traded to Denver in 2006, beginning another rebuilding period.

The Process Era (2013–2018)

In May 2013, the 76ers hired Sam Hinkie as general manager. Hinkie implemented “The Process”, a deliberate tanking strategy designed to accumulate draft assets and rebuild through high lottery picks. The approach produced historic futility: the team won fewer than 20 games in three consecutive seasons (2013-14 through 2015-16).

The 2015-16 76ers finished 10-72, the worst 82-game record in NBA history (tied with 2011-12 Charlotte). The franchise endured a 28-game losing streak spanning the 2014-15 and 2015-16 seasons.

However, the strategy eventually yielded Joel Embiid (2014 draft), Ben Simmons (2016), and numerous other assets. Hinkie resigned in 2016 under league pressure, but his foundational work set up the franchise’s return to competitiveness.

The Joel Embiid Era (2016–Present)

Joel Embiid, selected third overall in 2014, missed his first two seasons due to foot injuries. When he finally debuted in 2016-17, he immediately established himself as a dominant two-way center. Embiid won the 2023 NBA MVP award, earned multiple All-NBA First Team selections, and became the franchise’s first MVP since Iverson.

The 76ers hired Daryl Morey as President of Basketball Operations in November 2020 and Nick Nurse as head coach in June 2023. Nurse, who won a championship with Toronto in 2019, brought a proven championship pedigree.

In July 2024, the 76ers signed nine-time All-Star Paul George to a four-year, $212 million contract to pair with Embiid and guard Tyrese Maxey (2024-25 leading scorer). The move signaled championship ambitions.

In the 2025 NBA Draft, Philadelphia selected VJ Edgecombe third overall and Johni Broome 35th overall. Oklahoma City held a 36.0% chance of acquiring Philadelphia’s first-round pick, but the 76ers retained it after falling within the top six in the lottery.

At the 2026 February trade deadline, the 76ers traded promising guard Jared McCain to Oklahoma City for four draft picks, including a first-rounder.

Ownership and Front Office

The 76ers are owned by Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment, with Josh Harris and David Blitzer as principal owners. Harris and Blitzer acquired the franchise in 2013 for approximately $280 million. The ownership group also controls the New Jersey Devils and holds stakes in other sports properties.

Daryl Morey serves as President of Basketball Operations. Morey, known for analytics-driven decision-making, previously built championship contenders in Houston and won an NBA title as an executive.

Arena and Championships

The 76ers play home games at Xfinity Mobile Arena (formerly Wells Fargo Center) in the South Philadelphia Sports Complex. The venue opened in 1996 and seats 19,812 for basketball.

The franchise has won three NBA championships (1955, 1967, 1983) and reached nine Finals. Philadelphia holds a record of approximately 3,050-3,000 (.505 winning percentage) across 80 seasons.