Philadelphia 76ers Mt. Rushmore
Julius Erving tops the 76ers' Mt. Rushmore
The first two are on almost everyone’s list: Julius Erving and Allen Iverson.
But Wilt Chamberlain is definitely one that deserves to be on it.
He is known for his time with the Los Angeles Lakers and the Golden State Warriors but people forget that he actually performed for the Philadelphia 76ers.
A lot of fans (particularly young ones) may not know who Hal Greer is. But he gets overlooked a lot when discussing great 76ers players. His hometown, West Virginia, even honored him by holding “Hal Greer Day” in 1966.
Here is why I went with those four:
1. Julius Erving
Many view Erving as one of the most talented players in NBA history. He is also widely declared one of the greatest dunkers.
During his 11 years with the 76ers, he was a 11-time All-Star (1977-1987) who made the All-NBA First Team five times (1978, 1980-1983) and the All-NBA Second Team twice (1977, 1984). He was also named NBA’s Most Valuable Player in 1981.
Erving even helped them win the 1983 NBA championship as they swept the Los Angeles Lakers 4-0.
While playing with them, he averaged 22 points, six rebounds, three assists, one steal, and one block. He is their all-time leader in blocks (1,293). He is also their fourth all-time leader in points (18,364), seventh all-time leader in rebounds (5,601), fourth all-time leader in assists (3,224), and third all-time leader in steals (1,508).
FUN FACT: Erving was one of the first basketball players to endorse many products and have a shoe marketed under his name.
2. Allen Iverson
Although his career was faced with controversy here and there, Iverson is acknowledged as one of the greatest scorers and one of the most influential players in NBA history.
He played 12 of his 17 years in the NBA with the 76ers. During his tenure there, he was named Rookie of the Year in 1996 who went on to become an eight-time All-Star (2000-2006). He also made the All-NBA First Team three times (1999, 2001, 2005) and the All-NBA Second Team three times (2000, 2002, 2003). He even won NBA MVP in 2001.
While playing with the them, Iverson averaged 27 points, three rebounds, six assists, two steals, and 0.3 blocks. He led the NBA in scoring four times (1999, 2001, 2002, 2005) and steals three consecutive occasions (2001-2003).
He is currently their ’ all-time leader in three-pointers made (885). He is also their second all-time leader in points (18,931), third all-time leader in assists (4,385) and second all-time leader in steals (1,644).
FUN FACT: On January 7, 2022, Iverson recorded first and only career triple-double in a contest against the Los Angeles Clippers. He logged in 30 points, 10 rebounds, and 11 assists.
3. Wilt Chamberlain
Chamberlain spent four years with the 76ers. He even led them to their second of three franchise championships.
While playing in Philadelphia, he is a three-time All-Star (1966-1968) who made the All-NBA First Team three times (1966-1968) and the All-NBA Second Team in 1965. He even won NBA MVP three times (1966-1968).
And of course, he won the 1967 championship as they defeated the San Francisco Warriors in the NBA Finals 4-2.
During his time with them, Chamberlain averaged 27 points, 23 rebounds, and six assists. He led the NBA in scoring twice (1965, 1966) and rebounding three times (1966-1968). He even led the NBA in assists in 1968. He is the 76ers’ fifth all-time leader in rebounds (6,632).
FUN FACT: During the four years Chamberlain played for the 76ers, he recorded a total of 62 triple-doubles.
4. Hal Greer
Greer played with the 76ers his entire 15-year career (they went by the Syracuse Nationals for five years).
While playing in the NBA, he was a 10-time All-Star (1961-1970) who made the All-NBA Second Team seven times (1963-1969). He also helped the 76ers win their second of three franchise championships.
During his career, he averaged 20 points, five rebounds, and four assists. He is currently the 76ers’ all-time leader in points (21,586). He is also their sixth all-time leader in rebounds (5,665) and second all-time leader in assists (4,540).
FUN FACT: On February 21, 1964, Greer scored a career-high 50 points against the Boston Celtics.
Honorable Mentions: Charles Barkley, Dolph Schayes, Maurice Cheeks, Andre Iguodala
Cory Nelson is a contributor to Sports Illustrated’s channel “Inside The Heat”. He attended Northern Virginia Community College. He can be reached at corymckenzienelson@hotmail.com or follow him on Twitter @CKenzyNelson and Instagram @ckenzynelson