There are two things that Philadelphia 76ers fans want more than anything else in the world – a championship and the 76ers’ iconic black jerseys worn from 1997-09. While the first desire is more of a pipedream at this point, the latter is finally coming to fruition. After months of teasers and strong speculation, Philadelphia is officially bringing back its black retro uniforms for the 2025-26 season as confirmed by Austin Krell of OnPattison.
The 76ers want to celebrate the 2000-01 team
According to Krell, the 76ers intend to celebrate the anniversary of their 2000-01 team. This historic squad was headlined by Allen Iverson, who led them to the first seed in the Eastern Conference with 56 wins. In the process, he won the Most Valuable Player award over the likes of Shaquille O’Neal and Tim Duncan, which shows you what an elite offensive force Iverson was in his prime. It's also worth noting that Dikembe Mutombo won Defensive Player of the Year and George Lynch won Sixth Man of the Year.
Philadelphia would kick off one of its most storied postseason runs in franchise history. It took care of the Indiana Pacers in the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals, overcame Vince Carter and the Toronto Raptors in an explosive seven-game series, and outdid Ray Allen and the Milwaukee Bucks in another gruesome seven-game affair.
As a result, the 76ers reached the NBA Finals for the first time since the 1983-84 season and in a poetic fashion faced off against Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant’s Los Angeles Lakers. We all know what happened in the first game – Iverson exploded for 48 points, iconically stepped over Tyronn Lue, and Philadelphia stole a win at Staples Center. Unfortunately, binding defense could only get the 76ers so far as they lacked the offensive firepower outside of Iverson to keep up with the Lakers, who won the series in five games.
It's more than just a jersey
Nevertheless, the 2000-01 76ers are one of the most iconic teams in NBA history and should be celebrated by the organization. After all, that season marked the last time Philadelphia was able to surpass the Eastern Conference Semifinals. Not to mention, along with a lack of offensive help, Iverson played through 11 various injuries throughout the season, and he still anchored an above-average offense.
When you think about these throwback jerseys, you think of Iverson – plain and simple. While they look really damn cool, these uniforms are more than just something the players wore. They are a time capsule to an era where the 76ers were beloved throughout the city and fans backed their franchise cornerstone until the wheels fell off. Considering all the drama Philadelphia went through last season, it’s refreshing to be reminded of better times.