If you had asked the Philadelphia 76ers fanbase to give a reaction to the acquisition of Dominick Barlow in the offseason, it may have been a tad underwhelming. Yet, the physical forward's ability to dominate in the rebounding column and hustle in the paint has swiftly made him a fan favourite in the City of Brotherly Love.
Barlow's career before he landed on the streets of Philadelphia was sporadic. After going undrafted in the 2022 NBA draft, the then-rookie signed a two-way deal with the San Antonio Spurs but could not average more than 15 minutes per game over his two-year stint with the franchise.
His time with the Atlanta Hawks was not much more inspirational during the 2024-25 campaign, as he recorded around 11 minutes per game. It would have been fair to predict that Barlow's career would mainly be served in the G-League as a useful utility player.
However, sometimes a player's ability is wrongly evaluated, and they need to find a franchise where their attributes are correctly utilised -- something that Barlow has discovered with the 76ers.
Dominick Barlow has been the perfect roster addition
For what feels like an eternity, the Philadelphia 76ers have been screaming out for a front-court option that can provide an effective rebounding presence on both sides of the court, especially when Joel Embiid is not on the floor -- or even when he is. It is difficult to erase the memory of Mitchell Robinson creating countless second-chance opportunities for the New York Knicks during the Sixers' 2024 postseason series.
In Dominick Barlow, the 76ers have found a forward with the attributes to fill this devastating hole in their roster, while also adding a positive contribution on offense. The 22-year-old is averaging 8.1 points and 5.8 rebounds, while shooting around 54% from the floor.
Most impressively, during the 76ers' most recent enthralling 99-98 triumph over the Golden State Warriors, Barlow registered a season-high 14 rebounds and three blocks, a catalyst for one of the Sixers' most resilient performances of the season -- a statement that relates to points conceded, not the mind-blowing collapse that nearly cost Philadelphia the win.
For a player who has not been granted much of an opportunity so far during his three-year career, the former Hawks forward does not exhibit any signs of lacking confidence. After making an impressive block against the Warriors in the second quarter, Barlow did not rest on his laurels and made a lung-bursting run forward to his opponent's rim to finish a devastating counter-attack with an earth-shattering dunk, while also posterizing his teammate, VJ Edgecombe, in the process.
Understandably, Dominick Barlow did not create much fanfare in Philadelphia when he was acquired by the 76ers during the offseason; however, it could now be argued that the forward has been the franchise's most impressive pickup. His expert rebounding ability is an attribute that solves a maddening issue that has plagued the Sixers for numerous years.