Sixers get a sobering reminder of history in Charleston

CHARLESTON, S.C. — Before hunkering down to brace for Hurricane Ian’s second landfall, the 76ers continued to take in Charleston’s history and culture while in town for training camp.

On Wednesday night, they visited the Old Slave Mart Museum, which is believed to be the final slave auction facility in South Carolina. They also went to the Avery Institute of Afro-American History and Culture.

“It was good to learn about the history of America, slavery, and all that had happened,” All-Star center Joel Embiid said. “My people, my African people coming here … the people that gave up their lives for us to be able to be in this position, it was good to learn about all of that.”

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Earlier in the week, a professor from the College of Charleston visited the Sixers. Retired Marine Corps Gen. Glenn M. Walters, who now is the president of The Citadel, also spoke to the team before Thursday’s practice.

“There’s history that we need to teach each other,” Sixers coach Doc Rivers said. “It doesn’t have to be Black history or slavery. It can be any history. It’s all American history.”

Holding training camp off-site also promotes organic bonding for a team that added P.J. Tucker, De’Anthony Melton, Danuel House Jr., and Montrezl Harrell to the roster. Rivers has a particular affinity for Charleston because he visited several times as a player with the New York Knicks coached by Pat Riley. Back then, Rivers said, players went through four-hour two-a-day practices — and had to walk to the gym from the hotel.

“You can’t do that anymore,” Rivers said.

And about the incoming hurricane?

“[We are] really going to get the Charleston experience,” Rivers said.

Philly basketball legend Dawn Staley visited the Sixers’ Thursday practice at The Citadel, which is located about 100 miles from where she serves as the women’s coach at South Carolina.

Staley, who has become one of the nation’s more prominent sports figures, regularly sits courtside at Sixers home games and has gotten to know Rivers and his players over the years.

“I love her spirit, I love her toughness, and they’re national title champs,” said Rivers, referencing Staley’s second championship as South Carolina’s coach in 2022. “She already corrected me because I said, ‘Hey, here’s our national champ.’ She said, ‘That was last year.’ She’s moved on already, which I thought was funny.”