Elton Brand Paying It Forward To Sixers Rookies

When the Philadelphia 76ers signed Elton Brand, it wasn’t about playing time or hefty contracts. It came about as a chance for Brand to Pay It Forward to Sixers Rookies

The possibilities of what might have been, and what never will be have been packed into the attic of Elton Brand’s mind.  A man who came to the NBA with a dream of glory, of fame, and of a championship.   But his career never took him to a team whose season ended with a victory.  And so, he continued to pursue the dream.

But in the dimming evening sky of an NBA all star’s career, lights that were hidden by the brightest allure – the championship sun- began to shine.  Give back.  Give to the young men of the NBA what you received when you arrived – the teachings of superstars who knew that tomorrow’s game was only possible by the planting of seeds in young talent.  Seeds of wisdom, of hope.  Seeds from the greats of the game to be used in time’s of emergency.  Not so much of the way to win on the court, but the way to act like a winner 24 hours a day, seven days a week.   Days of greatness when players of opposing teams shook hands at center court before or after a game with sincerity.

When being an NBA star carried itself with an air of greatness.

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And so, in defiance to the fates that denied him a shot at a championship, Elton Brand has embraced the opportunity to pay if forward.  But how?  The NBA is based upon that pay-it-forward concept.  It blesses and rewards it’s stars, with an unspoken expectation that new stars will pay-it-forward to the up and coming stars of tomorrow. I’ll let Elton Brand tell you in his own words in a story he wrote for

Sports Illustrated The Cauldron

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"It’s not so much that I failed the guys I was tasked with mentoring over the years; it’s that I barely even tried. I never took the time to share the legendary Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s writing with them. I never sincerely answered their questions about what David West was trying to warn them about during NBPA meetings. I didn’t tell them why they should be reading Etan Thomas’ essays. I was simply too busy following the NBA blueprint that had been engrained in me from the beginning: Play well, keep your head down, offend as few people as possible, and get paid. Now, here in Philadelphia, my adopted hometown, I’m excited to have a chance to do things differently — be a positive influence and help the organization get back on track…. I have come to accept that I will never get that championship ring as a player. It’s disappointing and frustrating, but I am not the first highly touted guy who didn’t win it all, and I certainly won’t be the last. I am proud of what I have accomplished in this game — from street ball, to AAU, to Peekskill High School, to Duke University, to the NBA. I did it the right way, and no one will ever be able to take that way from me. So for those of you still asking why I am doing this, I’ll just go ahead and refer you to Coach K. While wrestling over the holidays with the idea of playing again, I knew he was the higher power I needed to consult with. He made it very clear to me that not taking advantage of this opportunity would be something I would likely regret. Now, as I prepare to lace ’em up for one last time, I know he was right. I am truly honored to be able to pass on what I have learned to Jahlil, Nerlens Noel, Joel Embiid, and my other teammates, and to be a positive influence on a young team with an incredibly bright future. It’s time for me to give back to the game that has given me so much. Let’s do this."

We can talk about someone sharing their money with charities, or even sharing their time. But when an NBA player seeks out the opportunity to infuse his wisdom, his essence, with young men who are learning the NBA, that is a special kind of person. That is why Elton Brand is a Philadelphia 76er.  That special kind of person is personified in Elton Brand.

Also On Sixer Sense: A Letter To The Parents Of The Philadelphia 76ers

This city has lost legendary NBA greats when they witnessed the passing of Darryl Dawkins on August 27, 2015, followed less than a month later when Moses Malone died on September 13, 2015.   Immortality is not a possibility in this life.  But planting those seeds of oneself into the hearts and minds of others preserves our essence going forward.

I can still recall A chocolate thunder “In Your Face Disgrace” dunk, or Malone hoisting the Larry O’Brien Championship Trophy.  Elton Brand may not have earned a championship in his career.  But he is giving his legacy a fighting chance of doing so now.  Now, as his NBA career draws to a close, he did not turn his back on the game that has been so good to him and he has been so go at.
A role model is the person who sets a high standard and surpasses it.  Elton Brand has a great deal to offer the team.