The Sixer Sense
Fansided

The Philadelphia 76ers History Of Picking At One In NBA Draft

By Bret Stuter

May 17, 2016; New York, NY, USA; Philadelphia 76ers head coach Brett Brown represents his team during the NBA draft lottery at New York Hilton Midtown. The Philadelphia 76ers received the first overall pick in the 2016 draft. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
May 17, 2016; New York, NY, USA; Philadelphia 76ers head coach Brett Brown represents his team during the NBA draft lottery at New York Hilton Midtown. The Philadelphia 76ers received the first overall pick in the 2016 draft. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports /
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Apr 6, 2016; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Indiana Pacers forward Paul George (13) talks to ESPN announcer Doug Collins before the game against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 6, 2016; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Indiana Pacers forward Paul George (13) talks to ESPN announcer Doug Collins before the game against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports /

Shooting guard Doug Collins

Doug Collins has been a part of the Philadelphia 76ers culture my entire life. Doug Collins was an All-American, an Olympian who had averaged 26 points and five rebounds a game as a senior at Illinois State and the Philadelphia 76ers—coming off the worst season in NBA history—took the shooting guard with the first overall pick in the 1973 NBA Draft.

Injuries cut short his rookie year and would plague him throughout his career. Despite that, Collins was a four-time All-Star, but he never really recovered from a major knee injury in 1979.

Collins helped the team reach the 1977 NBA Finals,where he averaged 19.7 points, 4.5 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.8 steals in 39.2 minutes per game, shooting 50.5 percent from the field and 81.3 percent at the line in a six-game loss to the Portland Trail Blazers.  When the 76ers returned to the NBA Finals in 1980, Collins was injured and did not play in the six-game loss to the Los Angeles Lakers.

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He eventually retired in September 1981 after playing in only 48 games the previous two seasons.

In eight seasons in Philadelphia, Collins averaged 17.9 points, 3.3 assists, 3.2 rebounds and 1.2 steals in 33.6 minutes per game, shooting .501/0-for-1/.833.  His career was lauded, and he stands at tenth in franchise history with a career field-goal percentage of 50.1% .

Collins furthered his relationship with the NBA, when he coached the Chicago Bulls, Detroit Pistons, Washington Wizards, and finally of the Philadelphia 76ers.

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