The Philadelphia 76ers franchise has one of the richest histories in the NBA, beginning their 74-year stint thus far in the league as the Syracuse Nationals before moving to the City of Brotherly Love during the 1963-64 season. And with that rich history comes a rich assortment of great players who have donned a Sixers uniform. But who among the long list of Sixers greats will crack the top 10 prior to the beginning of the 2023-24 season?
In this list, players will be ranked based on their statistical achievements, accolades won, and how well those translated to winning basketball. Without further ado, here are the 10 best players in Sixers franchise history.
Honorable Mentions: Bobby Jones, Chet Walker, Andre Iguodala
10. Maurice Cheeks
Maurice Cheeks' stats don't exactly jump off the page, but it's his longtime reliability for the Sixers from the late 1970s to the late 1980s that puts him squarely within the Sixers' top 10 greatest players of all time.
For starters, Cheeks is the epitome of knowing one's role and playing it to the best of his ability. The floor general isn't a bigtime scorer; it's his job to put his more scoring-inclined teammates in good positions, and it showed, as he's the all-time leader for the Sixers in the dimes department with 6,212. And he was also one of the best defensive guards of his time, combining with backcourt mate Andrew Toney to make the lives of opposing ballhanders a living hell. Cheeks is also the Sixers' all-time leader in thefts, with 1,942.
He made the All-Star team and the All-Defensive First Team four times each, helping the Sixers win the championship in 1983.
9. Dolph Schayes
It's difficult to rank players who began their careers in the 1950s, for the game has improved considerably since then. But what can be done is to rank the players of the 1950s against each other, and Dolph Schayes certainly stands out as one of the best players of his time, leading the way for the Syracuse Nationals' run to the championship in 1955.
From the 1950-51 season to 1960-61, Schayes averaged a double-double, and he made an All-Star team for a total of 12 years, which definitely isn't too shabby. But again, given how much more competitive the NBA has become in the aftermath of Schayes' career, it's fair to dock his standing in these rankings even though he's one of the most important figures in franchise history — as well as the NBA's.
8. Joel Embiid
Some may feel like this is too high for Joel Embiid, as he hasn't even made it past the second round unlike all the other players on this list. Embiid also doesn't have the most prestigious regular season pedigree given his troubles dealing with injury throughout his career.
But not too many Sixers in the franchise's long history have won an MVP award, which Embiid recently did in 2023. And he had stiff competition for the award, as he battled neck and neck with Nikola Jokic for the accolade throughout the 2022-23 season.
Joel Embiid is only 29 years old, so he certainly has time on his side as he tries to climb these rankings even further. But at the moment, his peak puts him squarely within the top 10 greatest Sixers ever, as his averages of 27.2 points, 11.2 rebounds, and 3.4 assists certainly jump off the page. Sixers fans will be hoping that he figures out how to succeed in the playoffs sooner than later, especially when he's middle of the prime of his career.
7. Billy Cunningham
Yet another pillar of the powerhouse Sixers of the '60s and '70s, Billy Cunningham is one of the most underrated players in history — acting as the perfect complement alongside Wilt Chamberlain and Hal Greer during their halcyon days in the mid-1960s. Cunningham's four-year peak from 1968 to 1972 was a thing of beauty, as he averaged 24.3 points, 12.6 rebounds and 4.6 assists during his best stretch for the Sixers.
He and the next player on this list combined to help the Sixers remain competitive even after Wilt Chamberlain departed for the Los Angeles Lakers in 1968. For his efforts, he made the All-NBA First Team three times, the All-NBA Second Team once, and he ranks highly in some of the Sixers' key statistical leaderboards (sixth in points and fourth in rebounds).
6. Hal Greer
It's incredible just how stacked the Sixers franchise was with talented players from the 1960s to the mid 1970s. Many Hall of Fame-level talents called Philadelphia their home during that period, and Hal Greer was one of those players.
A lifer of the Sixers franchise, Greer spent all 15 years of his career with the team, even experiencing playing for Syracuse Nationals before the franchise moved. And Greer's exceptional ability to remain consistent and healthy during his Sixers stint allowed him to rack up the stats and accolades for the franchise.
Hal Greer is the Sixers' all-time leading scorer, with 21,586 points to his name, and he still remains the franchise leader in minutes, field goals made. He also made the All-NBA Second Team seven times and was a 10-time All-Star.
5. Charles Barkley
Affectionately known as “The Round Mound of Rebound”, Charles Barkley was blessed to have played alongside Moses Malone, Julius Erving, and Maurice Cheeks during his early years in the league, as it helped chart his course as one of the greatest players to ever play the game.
Barkley was just a force of nature. Despite standing at just 6'6, he was a beast on the glass, and he was unstoppable when he attacked the lane. All in all, he averaged 23.3 points, 11.6 rebounds and 3.7 assists in 610 games for the Sixers, making the All-Star team six times, the All-NBA First Team four times, the All-NBA Second Team twice, and he has his jersey hanging on the Wells Fargo Center rafters. Too bad he didn't win a ring, as it would have been the icing on the cake for his superstar career.
4. Moses Malone
This is where ranking the Sixers' all-time greats becomes difficult. There simply is no wrong answer for where to put one or the other, as this is an inconsequential list at the end of the day, but the overall impact the three above Moses Malone had makes them worthy of a higher spot than the Chairman of the Boards himself.
Make no mistake about it, Malone was an incredible player for the Sixers, the exact piece the team needed to get over the championship hump. He of the iconic “Fo, Fo, Fo” declaration (he ended up being one off as they lost one playoff game), Malone averaged 21.0 points, 12.0 rebounds and 1.3 blocks in 357 games for the team, winning MVP once and making the All-NBA First Team twice during his stint in Philly.
Too bad the Sixers ended up trading Moses Malone for peanuts after just four seasons in a bid to get younger, as Malone had plenty left in the tank by the time of that unfortunate trade.
3. Wilt Chamberlain
For years, a dark cloud hovered over Wilt Chamberlain's career. Sure, he is the greatest statistical beast the league has ever seen, but there was once a time when many thought that Chamberlain prioritized racking up those gaudy stats instead of playing winning basketball. It wasn't until he arrived with the Sixers in 1965 that he began to destroy that notion.
During his second full season in Philly, Chamberlain led the way as the Sixers won 68 of their 81 regular season games. And then the Big Dipper finally broke through, winning a championship after he overcame Bill Russell and the Boston Celtics — not a small feat by any means.
Wilt Chamberlain may have stayed for just 3.5 seasons in Philadelphia, but his stint with the Sixers remains historic. In Philly, Chamberlain won the MVP and made the All-NBA First Team twice, and he still ranks fifth in franchise history for boards despite not having the longest of stays in the City of Brotherly Love.
2. Allen Iverson
Is it fair to factor in just how culturally impactful Allen Iverson was in these rankings? Perhaps. But no one can deny the magnetism of The Answer, especially back when he was at the peak of his powers in the early 2000s.
But beyond how big of an inspiration he became for the African-American community, Iverson's resume as a Sixer is also impressive. He made the All-Star team eight times, the All-NBA First Team and All-NBA Second Team three times each, and he even won the MVP in 2001 – an incredible feat given how much big men dominated the game at this point in time.
Moreover, Iverson ranks second in franchise history for both points and steals, and he ranks third in assists. His sheer force of personality and charisma only serves to accentuate what an incredible career he had for the Sixers.
1. Julius Erving
At the end of the day, nobody still has Julius Erving beat when it comes to discussing the greatest Sixers of all time. Erving possesses a rare blend of incredible longevity, a tantalizing peak, and a playstyle that was conducive to team success.
The Sixers will be in eternal gratitude to the New York Knicks for refusing the opportunity to buy Erving's contract from the Nets, as the highflying Dr. J elevated the team from a middling playoff squad to a legitimate contender that needed just a few more pieces to get over the hump — which they did in 1983 following the addition of Moses Malone.
In 11 years as a Sixer, Julius Erving made the All-Star team 11 times, the All-NBA First Team five times, the All-NBA Second Team twice, and he even won the MVP award in 1981. He is the franchise's all-time leader in blocks, and he ranks third in scoring, fourth in assists, seventh in rebounds, and third in steals.
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