Josh Harris buys the Sixers
Seeing the words distressed assets and businessman would give any sports fan pause.
“Where does winning fit in his priorities?”
“Will he treat the players like assets or human beings?
“Does he even care about the team?”
Yes, he’s a businessman and yes, his firm Apollo Global Management, LLC, specializes in distressed assets, but these points actually help him put the Philadelphia 76ers current situation into a context he can appreciate.
Harris purchased the team for $280 million, with the deal approved on October 13, 2011. While there are other investors, including Will and Jada Smith, Josh has become the face of the ownership group, the first guy taking punches for the team as it continues its road to contention. He has taken this road with honesty and resolution, as I am sure he and Sam Hinkie are the biggest believers of Trusting the Process, meaning he has had to face criticism of the process and speak to it.
Perhaps it is the businessman side of him who helps him through this trying time for the Sixers. He knows best that it will take time for the Sixers to be championship contenders and he understands the pitfalls and risks The Process entails. At the same time, he has also shown as much emotion as any other Sixer fan. As he said to Philly.com:
“I’m an impatient person at heart. I would rather get to the end point as fast as possible, but at the same time the goal is still the goal – to be an elite, extremely competitive team that goes deep into the playoffs. Unfortunately I’m very impatient and I always wish that we were further along than we are. But at the same time, there aren’t shortcuts to it. You have to react to the realities on the ground. Certainly I wish it was going faster but I’m happy with the progress.”
The guy is one of us in the truest sense of the phrase. Losses are excruciating, wins feel fantastic, and the road to glory isn’t always paved in gold. He cares about the team and is even an athlete of his own, running in the Philadelphia Marathon in 2011.
Is this too good to be true? Will he sell the team if they keep performing poorly? Not the way he sees it:
“… the reality is, I don’t think we’re going to sell this investment for a long time. I expect my kids to be around the Sixers. We’re building this thing for the long run.”
All of the evidence that we’ve seen points to an owner to genuinely cares about the team, his front office, his players, and also the city of Philadelphia. We are very lucky to have him as owner of the team.
Next: Sam Hinkie gets hired