Philadelphia 76ers: 15 greatest draft picks in franchise history

Drafted in 1996, nobody embodied the spirit of Philadelphia quite like Allen Iverson. From his style to his attitude, Iverson will forever be a fan favorite. He’s probably the most iconic Sixer of all-time, to boot.

Iverson spent the first 10 years of his career with the Sixers before being traded to Denver midway through his 11th season. Over that span, he averaged 27.9 points and 6.2 assists per game while making nine consecutive All-Star appearances.

Some of the most memorable moments from Iverson’s career came during the Sixers’ 2001 NBA Finals run. They lost in five games to an impressive Los Angeles Lakers squad, but Iverson exploded for 48 points in Game 1. He also stepped over a certain Cleveland Cavaliers coach.

That was the Lakers’ only playoff loss that season.

Iverson was also named MVP in 2001, shouldering the load for a Sixers team that vastly outperformed its talent level. It has been historically difficult for small, high-volume scoring guards to find success in the NBA. Iverson made it work.

After leaving the Sixers, Iverson went on to make seven more All-Star appearances. He spent time with the Denver Nuggets, Detroit Pistons and Memphis Grizzlies before returning to the Sixers in 2010 to finish his NBA career.

There has been much debate over where Iverson stands among the greatest players of all-time, but he’s undoubtedly one of the most effective individual scorers in league history. He was the kind of grind-it-out star that embraced Philly like no other star has.

Next: Top 30 players in Sixers franchise history

You won’t find another name at the No. 1 spot any time soon.