The roots of the Philadelphia 76ers go back to Syracuse, New York, which was the home of the Nationals from 1946 to 1963. In 1964, the basketball team moved to Philly and the following year it added a former local high school star named Wilt Chamberlain to its roster. At 7’ 1” tall, Chamberlain, who played a few years for the Harlem Globetrotters, was an imposed center, scoring an average of more than 30 points per game. He was named the league’s most valuable player four times.

In 1976, after a string of dismal seasons, the 76ers acquired Julius Erving, or Dr. J as he was known to fans, from the Nets when the ABA merged with the NBA. Erving brought a flashy slam-dunk style to the team, and when players like Moses Malone and Maurice Cheeks were added to the lineup in 1982, the 76ers went on the win the NBA finals in 1983 for only the third time in franchise history. Other notable 76ers have included Charles Barkley and Allen Iverson.