Outstanding point guards don’t grow on trees. That’s why in Philadelphia 76ers history, there are only a handful of floor leaders that can be considered all-time Sixer greats. Who are these rare point guards?
A historic franchise with multiple championships, the Philadelphia 76ers have had many stars. Whether we are talking Julius Erving, Charles Barkley, or Joel Embiid, stars need a floor general. The floor general for these phenomenal players had to set the offense, run fast breaks, and a number of other duties that helped the team.
Let’s look into the top five points guards in Sixers history.
5. Johnny Dawkins
In 1989, the 76ers needed a point guard to elevate their status in the Atlantic Division. They had a stud forward in Charles Barkley and a solid shooting guard in Hersey Hawkins. So, management brought in a quick left-handed point guard to run the team. Johnny Dawkins would lead the Sixers for five seasons as the captain of the offense.
Dawkins played college ball at Duke University. As a Blue Devil, he played in the 1986 NCAA championship game after leading his team to a 37-3 record. That same year, he was named the Naismith College Player of the Year, averaging 20 points a game right before declaring for the NBA Draft.
He was drafted by the San Antonio Spurs with the 10th pick. As a Spur, Dawkins appeared in the NBA Slam Dunk Contest, placing sixth. By the time he reached the Sixers, his point guard career was steady. He arrived in Philadelphia averaging 13 points and almost six assists. Those numbers would stay consistent as he played under the roof of the Spectrum.
As he played alongside Charles Barkley, Hersey Hawkins, Mike Gminski, and Rick Mahorn, the team flourished in the division. Dawkins was a steady floor leader, getting the team set and involving his teammates within the offensive flow of games.
Although he was not a big 3-point threat, Dawkins averaged 14 points, seven assists, and almost two steals a game the year he led his Sixers to the playoffs. Of course Barkley would lead the team in scoring and rebounds, but Dawkins averaged nine assists in 10 playoff games.
If not for nagging knee injuries, Dawkins would have played more games and made a bigger impact for the 76ers. Sadly, Dawkins’ career ended in 1995 with the Detroit Pistons.
4. Jrue Holiday
Drafted in 2009, Jrue Holiday was brought in to showcase his youthful talent after spending just one year at UCLA. While a Bruin, his stats were not too impressive, but he did earn Pac-10 All Freshman Team honors. When he did lace up his sneakers for the 76ers, he ended up playing 73 games his first year, averaging eight points and almost four assists.
From there, he went on to double his assist and points per game average, playing another three years with the Sixers. Being coached under Doug Collins, Holiday would blossom into an All-Star in 2013. Holiday’s numbers that year? He averaged 17.7 points, eight assists, and four rebounds. In two of his Sixer years, he appeared in the playoffs and contributed 15 points and five assists per game.
His style of play was smooth and controlled once he started to reach his prime. Holiday could hit the 3 for Philly at 37 percent and score in the paint using either hand. His defensive skills have been touted throughout his career, being stingy on the perimeter and a cerebral defender. His passing skills were coming into their own as a Sixer, playing alongside Andre Iguodala, Lou Williams, and Thaddeus Young. Dropping dimes on fast breaks or tossing alley-oops to his teammates was a regular for Holiday. He was an all around, solid point guard for Philadelphia.
Unfortunately, Holiday was traded after his All-Star appearance and has played with the New Orleans Pelicans since. Some say Holiday’s departure started the “Process” under San Hinkie.
3. Andre Miller
When Allen Iverson was traded to the Denver Nuggets in the 2006-07 season, Andre Miller was one of the players Philadelphia received in the exchange. Before Miller arrived in South Philly, he played solid point guard minutes in Cleveland, Los Angeles (Clippers), and Denver. In 2001, he averaged double digit assists.
Miller was known as a reliable distributor with natural point guard instincts. He was a pass-first player who could score when needed. He was far from a 3-point threat, shooting 21 percent his entire career, but he shot 46 percent from the field and 80 percent from the free throw line. As a Sixer, he would play all 82 games in consecutive seasons and play over 36 minutes a game.
In Philly, you could watch Miller lob passes to Iguodala for fierce dunks on fast breaks, or pass dimes to Kyle Korver for spot-up 3s in the corner. Miller could draw fouls and make high I.Q. plays on offense to give the Sixers the floor general they needed.
At that point in time, the Cavs and Celtics were beasts in the east, so Miller and the Sixers did not make too much noise in the playoffs. Uncharacteristically, he averaged 21 points in the 2008-09 postseason, but that was just in six games.
After a 21-year career in the NBA, Miller retired at the end of the 2016 season. Overall, he accumulated 8,524 assists, good for 11th on the All-Time Assist Leader list. When he played his three seasons in Philly, he was their best ball handler and passer. Clearly, he was the floor leader they needed after Allen Iverson was traded away.
2. Ben Simmons
Since 2017, the 76ers have been dazzled by the captivating talent of Ben Simmons. Additionally, he is a unique athletic specimen. With him running the point, they have made the playoffs each year he has played. Through all of the drama surrounding the Sixers during his time on the team, he has been a highly productive player, distributing passes and collecting assists at a high rate. It comes at a price, though. His development as a scorer is hindered by his reluctance to shoot perimeter shots. Some say his unorthodox style began in college.
As a one-and-done player from LSU, Ben Simmons’ style of play seemed apparent from the jump. He was an open court menace, finishing at the rim with authority and at will. His numbers as a Tiger were impressive. Per game, he averaged 19.2 points, 11.8 rebounds, and 4.8 assists. Surprisingly, he did attempt several 3-pointers and actually made one in college. His ability to finish enhanced his shooting percentage to 56 percent by the time he declared for the NBA Draft.
When he suited up for the Sixers, his game stayed similar to his LSU days, except he was given the green light to run the point. Brett Brown had visions of Simmons becoming the next Magic Johnson. With the amount of triple doubles he collected since his rookie season, Brown was not too far off his assessment.
In his rookie year, Ben Simmons generated easy opportunities for his teammates. As a good point guard is supposed to do, he found his teammates in the best spots for them to be most effective. Whether it was Joel Embiid on the block, or J.J. Redick at the 3-point line, Simmons would place passes where only he could place them. Between his rebounding stats, assist stats, and his countless dunks in transition, he would bring home the NBA Rookie of the Year trophy.
The most astounding fact about Ben Simmons is that he is only going into his fourth playing season, and he is already one of the best passers and ball handlers in 76ers history. What gets Sixer fans more excited for his place on the team is his defensive dedication. This past year, he was selected to the NBA All-Defensive Team, leading the entire league in steals per game. Should he start making more shots outside the paint, Ben Simmons could quickly become the most elite guard in the NBA. Philadelphia fans can only hope.
1. Maurice Cheeks
When you think of traditional point guards, Maurice Cheeks should come to mind. This Hall of Fame Sixer will go down as the greatest floor general in the history of the franchise. Not only did he enhance the play of his teammates, he elevated the team to championship status because of his precision passing and swift defensive skill. It all started for Mo Cheeks at a small school in Texas.
In the 70s, players were more likely to stay all four years and earn a degree before going pro. Cheeks fit that mold. From 1974 to 1978, he played point guard for West Texas A&M. His numbers were decent his freshman through junior year. By his senior year, he averaged 16.8 points and 5.7 assists a game.
His production and promise at the college level caught the attention of Philadelphia, and Cheeks was drafted 36th in the second round of the 1978 NBA Draft. The 76ers had no clue that they would be getting one of the most prolific ball distributors and steal extraordinaires the league would ever witness.
As a young player, who would play alongside the great Dr. J and Moses Malone. He would also earn assists by passing to other Sixer greats like Bobby Jones, Andrew Toney, George McGinnis, and Darryl Dawkins. After making the playoffs many years consecutively without getting a championship ring, he was finally able to help lead the 76ers to an NBA title in the 1982-83 season. In the NBA Finals versus Magic Johnson and the Lakers, Cheeks will always be remembered for throwing down a one-handed slam as time expired in the elimination game. The celebration was epic.
Overall, Maurice Cheeks was a stellar point guard, a dependable passer who knew how and when to get his stars the ball. In the 11 seasons he wore a Sixer uniform, Cheeks would end up with averages of 12.2 points, 7.3 assists, and 2.3 steals a game. When his career was all said and done, he ended up with 2,310 steals, the fifth most in league history. On top of that, Cheeks finished with 7,392 assists, good for 13th in league history.
Because of his durability, reliability, and professionalism, Maurice Cheeks will always be remembered as the greatest point guard in 76ers history. He was the textbook floor general with the vision, talent, and tenacity to produce a winning tradition in Philadelphia that Sixer fans will forever appreciate.