It does not take much prodding for Philly fans to rain boo’s on players and teams who deserve it, including their own. However, there are five games on the Philadelphia 76ers’ home schedule where fans have some extra incentive to lustily boo the opposition.
These are not necessarily the most important games, but definitely feature a player who have really ticked off fans of the Philadelphia 76ers for various reasons.
5. Kyle Korver (Milwaukee Bucks)
- Dec. 25, 2:30 p.m.
Way back when he started his career with the 76ers, Kyle Korver was a popular player. Now Korver’s career has been so long, he played with current Temple University coach Aaron McKie, Sixers TV analyst Marc Jackson as well as Allen Iverson.
Fans cheered as he launched three-pointer after three-pointer. Ironically, the 6-foot-8 forward was eventually shipped out by then-general manager Ed Stefanski to create cap space for a big free agent signing, which turned out to be Elton Brand.
When the Sixers lost shooting ace J.J. Redick in free agency, much like Eagles fans wanting their prodigal son, DeSean Jackson, to return, Sixers fan sites buzzed with how they should bring back Korver after an 11-year absence.
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Korver would have been a more than adequate replacement for Redick in terms of three-point shooting prowess. Yes, at 38 years old, he might be a defensive liability (even when he was 22 with the Sixers he was not that great defensively), but Redick was not so hot on the defensive end either.
Korver played for the Utah Jazz last season, but after a series of trades, on July 8 he found himself a free agent, with the Phoenix Suns on the hook for his $3.4 million salary for the 2019-20 season.
Since money was not going to be a factor, Korver could go wherever he felt like. Since the cap-strapped Sixers were in need of an outside shooter, they seemed like a perfect landing spot for him.
Korver-fever swept over Sixers fans. Reports said Korver was deciding between the Sixers, Lakers and Milwaukee Bucks, but the situation seemed so perfect, many fans thought Korver had to, in the end, choose a return to his original club.
However, on July 19, Korver picked the Bucks. Not only was he NOT going to be a 76er again, he was headed to the team seen as the Sixers main obstacle to reaching the NBA finals.
His reasoning was that he had played for Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer in Atlanta (where ironically one of his teammates was Brand) and knew his system and had previous success with the Hawks.
Still needing a shooter, Brand brought back a much more recent player, Furkan Korkmaz, whose option Brand had declined early in the previous season. There was a notable lack of enthusiasm for bringing back Korkmaz, although he has shown some potential.
But Korver was the people’s choice to replace Redick, and he had spurned them for their biggest rival. So when Korver arrives with the Bucks on Christmas Day, there is one way fans can show him their disappointment: