The Sixer Sense
Fansided

Beyond the Legends: Five Forgotten Faces in Philadelphia 76ers History

By Erick Klambara

Philadelphia 76ers (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)
Philadelphia 76ers (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) /
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Gerald Henderson Jr

MILWAUKEE, WI – JANUARY 25: Gerald Henderson #12 of the Philadelphia 76ers shoots a free throw during the second half of a game against the Milwaukee Bucks at the BMO Harris Bradley Center on January 25, 2017 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. 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 Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
MILWAUKEE, WI – JANUARY 25: Gerald Henderson #12 of the Philadelphia 76ers shoots a free throw during the second half of a game against the Milwaukee Bucks at the BMO Harris Bradley Center on January 25, 2017 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. 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 Stacy Revere/Getty Images) /

Gerald Henderson Jr. spent eight seasons in the NBA, primarily with the Charlotte Bobcats/Hornets. He was a standout on the lackluster Charlotte teams (including a 7-59 team in 2011), posting four seasons of double-digit points including a career-high 15.5 points per game in 2013. After leaving Charlotte in 2015, Henderson played a season in Portland with the Trailblazers, where he adapted to a bench role for the first time since his rookie year back in 2009.

Henderson’s bench role proved to be short-lived as he signed with the Sixers a year later and returned to the starting lineup. Henderson played a pivotal role in the rebuilding squad. He started 41 games and averaged a respectable 9.2 points per game on 42% shooting from the field.  His field goal percentage was down from his career average, but he shot 35% from three-point range, which was the highest mark of his career. It is no surprise that Henderson chose to play for the Sixers as he had a local connection to the team, playing high school basketball at nearby Episcopal Academy.

His father, Gerald Henderson Sr, played for the Sixers from 1987 to 1989 and currently runs a real estate business in Blue Bell, Montgomery County, just 25 miles from South Philadelphia. Henderson’s basketball career ended prematurely in 2018 due to injuries to his hip and Achilles and he officially retired in 2019. In 535 games he scored 5987 points and ranks fifth in Bobcats history in points per game (12.0).