The Sixer Sense
Fansided

6 Worst Philadelphia 76ers starters of the Allen Iverson era

By Jonathan Geib

PHILADELPHIA - APRIL 16: Allen Iverson #3 of the Philadelphia 76ers gestures to hear cheers from the crowd during the NBA game against the Washington Wizards at First Union Center on March 30, 2003 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Sixers won 107-87. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA - APRIL 16: Allen Iverson #3 of the Philadelphia 76ers gestures to hear cheers from the crowd during the NBA game against the Washington Wizards at First Union Center on March 30, 2003 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Sixers won 107-87. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) /
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Detroit Pistons center Eric Montross (C) grabs a rebound from Indiana Pacers center Rik Smits (R) before Pistons forward Christian Laettner (L) 25 November 1999 at the Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana. AFP PHOTO/John RUTHROFF (Photo by JOHN RUTHROFF / AFP) (Photo credit should read JOHN RUTHROFF/AFP via Getty Images)
Detroit Pistons center Eric Montross (C) grabs a rebound from Indiana Pacers center Rik Smits (R) before Pistons forward Christian Laettner (L) 25 November 1999 at the Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana. AFP PHOTO/John RUTHROFF (Photo by JOHN RUTHROFF / AFP) (Photo credit should read JOHN RUTHROFF/AFP via Getty Images) /

Eric Montross (1997-98)

The highest-drafted player on this list is Eric Montross who was the 9th overall pick in the 1994 NBA Draft by the Boston Celtics. If you are unfamiliar with Montross and his time with the Sixers, you can be forgiven as he only wore the team’s jersey for 26 games in his career.

By the time the 1997-98 season came around, it was abundantly clear that Allen Iverson was going to be a superstar in this league and the Sixers front office was working endlessly to try and find the right pieces to build around their athletic and versatile guard. During this season, the Sixers suited up 22 different players to play alongside Iverson and Montross was one of them.

Unfortunately for Montross, he was never able to get comfortable enough with a team to become the player many expected coming out of North Carolina. Montross had his career-high scoring average in his rookie season, 10 points per game, but being a constant trade piece stunted his career. Throughout his third and fourth seasons in the NBA, he played for 6(!) different teams, the Sixers being one of them.

In the 20 games he started for Philadelphia, he had averages of 3.4 points and 4.6 rebounds before it was determined that he was not going to be a part of the organization’s plans. A notable theme in this article is the recurrence of big men. By the time the Sixers landed on Dikembe Mutombo, they were positive this was the type of center that could play in concert with the ball-dominant Iverson.