Top 3 Sixers of All Time Ranked

Jul 18

Creating rankings for players who played in different eras is basically impossible. After all, how can someone who grew up in basketball's early stages be expected to have the skills of a Steph Curry, who grew up learning from the greatest players ever. Nevertheless, today I’m going to rank the three greatest Philadelphia 76ers of all time. Per-game averages were a big part of this list, but they could not count for everything as this would result in players who did not spend much time on the court for the Sixers at the top of the list. For example, Joel Embiid and Wilt Chamberlain probably have the best stat lines of players to suit up for the Sixers, but Chamberlain played less than 300 games for the team, while Embiid does not yet have the longevity that many other Sixer greats had.

Disclaimer: Any statistics or team success accumulated with teams other than the Philadelphia 76ers will not be considered in the ranking for this article.

3) Allen Iverson

Starting off the list is a fan favorite and someone who is probably most people's pick as the best Sixer of all time. Many look at the high-scoring totals, remember his stepping over Tyronn Lue in the finals, and think, how can anyone be number one? However, I think it's important to note his career 42.1 percent shooting percentage and 30.9 percent three-point percentage, inefficient numbers when comparing all-time greats. That's not to suggest his career wasn’t spectacular; just important to note that the two players ranked ahead of him shot at least eight percent higher from the field.

AI was an incredible icon for the sport and helped the game of basketball more commercially than any player since Michael Jordan. After all, what's not to love about a dude shorter than me or you cooking guys who are 6-foot-7! Generously listed at 6-foot, Iverson even blocked the shot of the 7-foot-6 Yao Ming! AI for his Sixers career averaged a whopping 27.6 points per game. With his effortless ability to score and his dragging the 2001 Sixers team to the NBA Finals, AI takes the spot as the third-best Sixer of all time.

2) Charles Barkley

Next on our list is the Round Mound of Rebound! Barkley stood just 6-foot-5 but could outbound opponents by refusing to give up, relentlessly pursuing the ball. Averaging 11.6 rebounds per game as a Sixer, Barkley was incredible at creating easy scoring opportunities for his team, getting point-blank chances at the rim after an offensive rebound. In addition, he excelled on the defensive end of the court, averaging 1.7 steals and a block per game. Shooting 57.6 percent from the field, Barkley put up an extremely efficient 23.3 points a game.

For his all-around skill and efficiency, Barkley earns the number two spot, although it is worth noting that had Barkley been able to come closer in minutes to the player ranked first, he likely would have overtaken him. While it might seem a stretch to some, as today Barkley is more known for his work on TNT, Barkley, over his NBA career, including trips with other teams, was third overall in Player Efficiency rating. The top 2, Michael Jordan and LeBron James, are widely considered the two best players in the history of the NBA.

1) Julius Erving

Longevity, well-roundedness, and efficiency put Erving over Barkley and Iverson to rank as the number one Sixer of all time. While he didn’t score as much as Iverson or Barkley, he played more games and dominated games defensively, averaging 1.8 steals and 1.5 blocks a game. In addition, Erving contributed 6.7 rebounds and 3.9 assists per game, showing he could do everything on the court and modeling the perfect game for an NBA wing. Players such as Kevin Durant and James likely built their games on Erving’s abilities. Erving could score the ball exceptionally well, averaging 22 points per game as a Sixer. For all these reasons, Erving takes the spot as the best Sixer of all time.