Our quest to determine the Philadelphia 76ers’ all-time favorite player continues.
The first round is done, which means the Round of 32 is upon us. We are edging closer to determining the fans’ all-time favorite player in Philadelphia 76ers history. We will cover half the remaining bracket today.
Yesterday’s matchups went largely by the book. Rock Chalk, as Joel Embiid‘s alma mater would profess. Embiid was his poll handedly, and only two upsets took place — Clarence Weatherspoon over Luke Jackson, and Eric Snow over Archie Clark.
Here are the full results.
- (3) Joel Embiid def. (62) Darrall Imhoff
- (35) Eric Snow def. (30) Archie Clark
- (14) Hersey Hawkins def. (51) Johnny Dawkins
- (19) Doug Collins def. (46) Chris Webber
- (6) Maurice Cheeks def. (59) Wali Jones
- (38) Clarence Weatherspoon def. (27) Luke Jackson
- (11) Hal Greer def. (54) Nerlens Noel
- (22) World B. Free def. (43) Manute Bol
Here are today’s matchups as the second round begins.
(1) Allen Iverson vs. (32) Thaddeus Young
Iverson won handedly on the first day of the tournament, receiving 96.1 percent of the vote. His opponent was Michael Carter-Williams. Young faced Iverson’s former teammate — Aaron McKie — and received a hearty 58.5 percent of the vote. A solid margin of victory in the 32-33 matchup.
As the second round begins, Iverson needs no introduction. His contributions to Sixers history, both from a productivity standpoint and from a cultural standpoint, are undeniable. He’s the top seed for a reason. Young, on the other hand, played a significant role for the pre-process Sixers and still holds a special place in the fanbase.
(16) George McGinnis vs. (17) Ben Simmons
McGinnis was soundly in round one, receiving 75 percent of the vote in his duel with Henry Bibby. Ben Simmons won even more thoroughly, facing former teammate Dario Saric and claiming 90.5 percent of the vote — exceeding my expectations, for sure.
This is a battle of generations. McGinnis is a Hall of Famer who spent three years in Philadelphia between 1975 and 1978, including two All-Star appearances. Simmons is the future, and someone fans will hopefully get to watch for years to come. Should be a good one.
(8) Andre Iguodala vs. (25) Fred Carter
Iguodala was probably the most notable Sixer in the pre-process era, and he was largely responsible for Philadelphia’s surprise postseason run in 2012. Iggy made his lone All-Star appearance with the Sixers, and his personality has long been a draw for fans.
Carter was another mid-70s Sixer who contributed across the board — a two-guard who averaged over 20 points and five assists at his peak. Iggy received 66.8 percent of the vote in his bout with J.J. Redick. Carter received a flat 66 percent of the vote against Tom Van Arsdale. We’ll see if Carter has enough sway with the presumably younger Twitter audience.
(41) Steve Mix vs. (56) Robert Covington
Two of the biggest opening-day upsets, Mix and Covington will now battle in the second round. Covington swept comfortably through the nine-seeded Darryl Dawkins, trouncing Chocolate Thunder with 59.7 percent of the vote. Mix narrowly defeated Hall of Famer Red Kerr, garnering 51.3 percent of the vote.
For different reasons, both Mix and Covington earned ‘fan favorite’ labels over the years. Covington’s lower seed was due to his divisiveness among the Sixers fanbase. Some loved him prior to the Jimmy Butler trade, others developed a strong distaste. Now that he’s gone, however, it seems a greater appreciation for contributions has formed.
(4) Wilt Chamberlain vs. (36) Jerry Stackhouse
Chamberlain had the most thorough victory of the opening round, earning 99.3 percent of the vote over Jim Washington. Stackhouse, on the other hand, pulled out a convincing upset, earning 59.9 percent of the vote against the higher-seeded Evan Turner.
Many consider Wilt the greatest player of all-time — one of our contributors included. Stackhouse never reached his lofty expectations in Philadelphia, but he’s still a household name who produced no shortage of highlight plays.
(20) Lou Williams vs. (52) Nik Stauskas
Sweet Lou breezed through the opening round, defeating 5-foot-11 dynamo Dana Barros with 94.6 percent of the vote. Stauskas also breezed through the first round, but against a much more formidable opponent. Sauce Castillo received 72.1 percent of the vote against Chet Walker, a current member of the Hall of Fame.
Stauskas was a process fan favorite and his presence in Philadelphia symbolized quite a bit, even if his production never reached lottery-talent levels. Williams started his career as a silky-scoring sixth man in Philadelphia, and has his own place in Sixers lore. This could get interesting.
(5) Charles Barkley vs. (28) Elton Brand
Barkely flew through the first round with 95.3 percent of the vote — Jeff Hornacek had little chance. Brand was locked in a tighter race, but it wasn’t particularly close. He beat out former teammate Spencer Hawes with 67.8 percent of the vote.
It’s impossible to deny Barkley’s place in Sixers history, and he’s a clear favorite here. Still, Brand developed a reputation as not only a productive role player, but an important veteran presence in, even in the pre-process years, a relatively young locker room. And now he’s GM.
(21) Bobby Jones vs. (53) Mike Scott
Two beloved role players. One, in Jones, who contributed to the Sixers’ 1983 championship trophy, and one, in Scott, who has developed a special bond with a large portion of the Sixers fanbase. Jones edged out Andre Miller with 55.8 percent of the vote in round one. Scott walloped Andrew Toney, the famed Boston Strangler, with 60.7 percent of the vote.
Scott’s win was probably the most controversial in round one, but it’s clear he resonates with Philadelphia in a meaningful way. ‘The Hive’ lives and breathes on Twitter, and given the assumed demographics of our voting body, it’s not wise to count out a Mike Scott appearance in the Sweet 16.
If you want to have your voice heard, head to our Twitter page (@SixerSense) and participate in the polls.