Philadelphia 76ers and Marvel: The Avengers as Sixers

Hulk: Zhaire Smith

Hulk … SMASH. Zhaire … SMASH. It’s funny because all Zhaire Smith does is dunk! Okay, maybe that’s not true, but it also kind of is. Smith has all the athleticism he can handle, with a penchant for wicked dunks and chase-down blocks that make you question why you haven’t exercised yet today. There’s no Avenger more rawly athletic than the Hulk.

Behind the mean, green fighting machine, however, is a vulnerable and compelling character. He’s also a genius, possessing knowledge only rivaled in the MCU by Tony Stark (and later Shuri). He understands gamma radiation better than anyone, co-leads the Avengers’ scientific expeditions, and plays a (minor) role in the creation of Ultron.

Early on, Bruce Banner was also a secluded individual, pained by his existence as Hulk and struggling to come to terms with his unique gifts. It took Zhaire a year to overcome a life-threatening allergic reaction. He spent almost his entire rookie campaign in the shadows.

When it mattered most, however, Hulk broke through. And over time, after years of trial and error, Banner finally found peace, which allowed him to utilize both his brawn and his intellect simultaneously. Perhaps one day Smith, a top-percentile athlete, will accumulate the complementary skills necessary to round out his skill set and become the multi-faceted threat Philadelphia drafted him to be.