10 Players the Philadelphia 76ers signed past their prime
By Tyler Watts
5. World B. Free
Free is a 76ers legend. They drafted him in the second round in 1975, and the 6’2 guard played his first three seasons in the City of Brotherly Love. The Sixers made the playoffs every year, including losing to the Blazers in the NBA Finals in 1977. Free was traded to the Clippers in 1978 for a first-round pick.
The Prince of Mid-Air became an All-Star and one of the league’s best scorers after leaving Philadelphia. He averaged over 22 points per game for eight straight years. His teams did not have a ton of success, but few were stopping Free.
World B. Free became a free agent in 1986 and returned to the 76ers. The Cavaliers got a second-round draft pick for the signing, but the soon-to-be 33-year-old significantly declined. He averaged 23.4 points in 1986 and it sunk to 5.8 a night in Philadelphia. Free played just 20 games with the 76ers before being waived in March of 1987.
The 6’2 guard played one more year in the NBA before hanging up his sneakers. He continues to be an ambassador for the Philadelphia 76ers, but it does not change that the franchise missed his best years. Free was improving during his first stint and past his prime by the time he returned.