---

Fan view by Larry C. Williams Jr. (from Philly)

Being a 76ers fan since birth (24 years ago), I have vivid memories of the last championship. I was a four year old Nerf basketball dunking machine when the 76ers won their last championship in 1983. I was at the parade and I do remember those players (Erving, Malone, Cheeks, Jones, Toney, Edwards, Ivaronni, Richardson, etc.) since I am a basketball junkie, but I need a championship that I can really enjoy. Now that I am a season ticket holder, I feel like this is my team more than I ever did. I have lived through the Charles Barkley trade, drafting Clarence Weatherspoon, Sharone Wright, BJ Tyler, and Shawn Bradley and having to see Andrew Lang, Tim Perry and Scott Williams in a 76ers jersey but yet and I am still a fan. This year, I am excited as well as other 76er fans. We have a new coach in Randy Ayers (Not taking anything away from Larry Brown but his time was done here), a legit 2nd scoring option in Glenn Robinson and the most talented team we have had since Iverson was drafted in 1996. Will this lead to a championship? I seriously doubt it since the West keeps getting stronger and stronger but we will be one of the favorites to win the East behind New Jersey, Detroit and Indiana. But we all know in the East, anything is possible. With all this being said, here is my review of the 2003-2004 Philadelphia 76ers.

Backcourt - The 76ers have a lot of depth in their backcourt but they still are missing a back-up pg. Allen Iverson had a great summer. He did not have any drama with his coach, family or the media, he helped lead Team USA to an Olympic berth and he signed a contract extension that when it is all said and done, he will have played the most games in 76ers history. The three-time NBA scoring champ is the happiest he has ever been going into training camp. He has been quoted as saying that this is the best quality of players he has had around him his entire career, including the team that went to the NBA Finals in 2001. We have all seen what type of player he is when he has talent around him (All-Star Games and this summer at the Qualifying Tournament). Allen plays his best when he does not have to force bad shots. I am not saying that Glenn Robinson, Kenny Thomas and Marc Jackson equals Tim Duncan, Jermaine O'Neal and Tracy McGrady but look for AI to have his best season ever this year as he now has a proven scorer to help him in Glenn Robinson.

His running mate, Eric Snow, had his best statistical season last year as a pro. His medium range shot is getting better every year but don't expect him to kill you from 15ft out. What he will do is run this offense the way Ayers wants it to be run and hit clutch shots at the end of games.

Aaron McKie will be the 1st guard off the bench for Philly, as he has for the past 5 seasons. McKie is coming off of two injury plagued seasons after winning the Sixth Man of the Year Award in 2001. His scoring and field goal percentage dropped last season but hopefully that will change since new 76ers coach, Randy Ayers, is looking for McKie to become more of a scoring threat as opposed to being a ballhandler. The question is if McKie is up for the challenge. Greg Buckner is a defensive specialist who will get minutes guarding the opposing team's best player from the 1 up to some 4's. Let me remind you that he is only 6'4". John Salmons, the 2nd year player from Miami University and a local Philly kid is also looking to get some minutes in the rotation. He won the MVP of the Shaw Summer league this year and Randy Ayers said that he is giving him a chance to win some minutes during training camp. This is a good group of guards that will pressure the ball on defense, not turn it over on offense and be the heart and soul of the team, but who is going to knock down a consistent 18-footer? Grade B-

Frontcourt - The 76ers have been looking for the ideal second scoring option since Iverson was drafted in 1996. I think they have finally found their guy in Glenn Robinson. The former #1 draft pick has been traded the past two off-seasons but I think he can do some house shopping this time. Robinson was a part of the big four team trade this summer that sent Latrell Sprewell to Minnesota, Terrell Brandon to Atlanta and Keith Van Horn to the Knicks. With career averages of 21.1 points and 6.2 rebounds, the 6'8" forward is a match-up problem for a lot of teams in the league. Put a smaller guy on him and he is posting up for 2. Put a bigger guy on him and he is driving by them. He can also shoot from three which is something the 76ers welcome.

Billy King said that resigning Kenny Thomas was the teams #1 priority and he was not lying. Thomas, who was acquired in a trade with Houston last season, resigned with the team. Thomas showed flashes of what he can do when given the opportunity. Thomas went on a rebounding frenzy once he was inserted into the starting lineup. He grabbed 20 plus rebounds in a two games last year. Not bad for a 6'7" power forward in a small forward's body. He also showed a nice touch from 15 ft in and great post moves. He will provide a post presence that Philly needs.

Derrick Coleman also re-signed with the team. The 2nd half of last season might have been Coleman's best work since he was with the Nets. He scored, rebounded, defended and played some inspired basketball from the center position. He was forced to play center when Todd MacCulloch season was ended after being diagnosed with Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT), a genetic disorder that affects his balance and mobility. Coleman does not like playing center but in the East, it is not all that bad plus with this team he has no choice. Depth is limited in the frontcourt but this is nothing new to the team.

The 76ers acquired Marc Jackson in the trade that brought Glenn Robinson to Philly. The 6'10" power forward/center from Philly will get a chance to show his rookie season was not a fluke. Jackson averaged 13.2 pts and 7.5 rebounds per game his rookie season but he could not get off the pine his second year in Golden State. In Minnesota, he showed that he can play in this league but he has not played the same kind of minutes he got his rookie year. Jackson will bring an inside presence and some toughness that the 76ers have not had since... exactly.

Monty Williams had an injury plagued season last year but when he did play, he showed that he is capable of hitting an open shot and can be another option in the low post.

Salmons and Buckner will probably get some minutes at the "3" spot depending on the personnel on the floor. Sam Dalembert and Sam Clancy spent their entire seasons on the IR with knee injuries. Dalembert is still a project on both ends of the floor but he is capable of sending some shots back the other way. Clancy is another guy who is a power forward in a small forward's body but he has more range than Kenny Thomas. Neither one is being counted on this season to make a major contribution but anything is better than nothing. Todd MacCulloch is trying to comeback from Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT) but his career is looking to be in jeopardy. He has a soft touch around the basket and soft hands for a big man. The 76ers definitely will miss that if he cannot comeback from his unfortunate disease. Journeyman Amal McCaskill also joined the team this year. His career averages are nowhere near threatening to opposing teams but he will provide the 76ers with some needed height. The 76ers lack height and depth in their frontcourt but there are not too many frontcourts in the East to fear which is a good thing for Philly fans. Grade C

Draft Day 2003 - The 76ers went into the draft hoping to improve their outside shooting but with only the 50th pick in the draft, it did not look like that was going to happen. But once again Billy King waved his GM magic wand and did what he set out to do. The 76ers drafted Paccelis Morlende from France but traded his draft rights to Seattle for the draft rights to Willie Green. Green is a 6"4' combo guard from Detroit Mercy who was named Honorable Mention All-American his senior year. He was the Horizon League Player of Year his senior year. Green is a scorer (ranked 11th in the nation) that can shoot from three and drive to the basket. He rebounds well for a guard and he can defend both guard positions. It will be hard for him to crack the guard rotation in Philly but Randy Ayers loves him. The Sixers also obtained the draft rights to Kyle Korver. Korver, drafter 51st by the Nets, was traded to the 76ers for cash. Korver was a second team All-American his senior year by the AP. He is a three point marksman as he owns the Creighton and Missouri Valley Conference record with 371 career three-pointers, which ties him for sixth in NCAA history. He is also a winner as he is the only player in Creighton history to make the NCAA tourney four years in a row and he registered 99 wins during his stay which is the best in school history during a four year span. He never seems to get rattled during a game but the question mark is will he be able to create his own shot in the NBA. The 76ers addressed their need in the draft even with only one 2nd round pick. With the players they got, I think they had a good draft. Grade C+

Prediction - Will I finally get my championship that I can enjoy? Probably not but on paper, this is one of the most talented teams in the East. But there are a lot of questions surrounding them. Is Big Dog the 2nd option the team has been looking for the past seven seasons or is just another audition? Will Iverson share the ball with him? Who is going to rebound for the 76ers? Will Big Mac ever return to the team? Can Randy Ayers coach? There are more questions that can be asked but I think that "The Answer" will lead this team deep into the Eastern Conference playoffs and possibly to the NBA Finals. He did it with worst in 2001 so I don't think anyone should doubt him. 50-32