Allen Iverson welcomed with MVP chants, Pat Croce praises Eric Snow, and more from Sixers reunion night
From special appearances and halftime tributes, here’s everything you missed from the Sixers’ 2001 reunion night for a team that "was so Philly."
The Xfinity Mobile Arena jumped back in time on Saturday night as the Sixers honored its iconic 2001 NBA Finals team with a reunion night as part of the franchise’s 25th anniversary celebration.
The vintage 76ers logo, with its retro comet tail, adorned the basketball court. Hip-Hop, the team’s mascot during that era, returned to interact with the crowd, and players and fans alike wore their throwback black jerseys to pay homage.
From special appearances and halftime tributes, here’s what the fans had to say about reunion night:
‘That team was so Philly’
There’s only one thing — or person — that comes to mind to most fans when they think of the throwback Sixers jerseys.
“I just think of Allen Iverson,” said 23-year-old Robert Phillips. “That’s it.”
Iverson, who was drafted by the 76ers with the first overall pick in the 1996 NBA draft, became an immediate fan favorite — representing the grit and toughness of Philadelphia. His stardom has reached generations, including Phillips, who said he grew up watching highlights on YouTube.
“I wasn’t born yet,” Phillips said. “My grandmother was alive and she watched AI’s run and then once we were old enough we went on YouTube and watched AI highlights. When he did that crazy layup in the All-Star game, I still watch it and I’m like ‘How are you this acrobatic?’”
The 11-time NBA All-Star had early success, earning Rookie of the Year honors. Iverson eventually led the team to the NBA Finals in 2001 — winning NBA MVP in the process — before losing to the Los Angeles Lakers, led by Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal.
However, that run is still something Philly fans like to reminisce on. 36-year-old Ishmael Amir remembers how “electric” it was to be a Sixers fan at the time.
“That team was so Philly, because again, it was a team full of underdogs, and I think that represents the city,“ Amir said. ”Like nobody expected the Sixers to do it. Most people outside of the city can’t name anybody on that team besides AI and maybe [Dikimbe] Mutombo. And that’s who we are as a city. Like it, don’t matter. You can count us out. We love when you count us out. And that season it was a great time for us.”
Iverson gave Philly fans many iconic moments, including the step over Tyronn Lue which became a picture perfect memory for most fans. However, there are a few unsung heroes from the 2001 team. And former Sixers president Pat Croce commended one of them ahead of Saturday’s game.
“You know Allen Iverson, you know our Bubba Chuck,” Croce said. “Bubba Chuck wouldn’t be Bubba Chuck without Snowman [Eric Snow]. He watched his back every game. He talked in his ear every game in that locker room. Allen could play the way he did because he had [Snow] watching his back. Eric Snow was an integral part of the championship season.”
Honoring the 2001 team
Both Snow and Iverson were in attendance for Saturday’s game alongside several other members of the 2001 team, including Rodney Buford, Theo Ratliff, Todd MacCulloch, Jumaine Jones, George Lynch, Croce, and Billy King.
To start off the night, Croce was the special guest to ring the bell ahead of the game.
At halftime, the former members of the 2000-01 squad were honored center court. With Iverson’s entrance, the crowd erupted into MVP chants.
“We couldn’t have accomplished anything without the fans of Philadelphia, the best fans in the world” Iverson said to the crowd.