PHILADELPHIA — Patrick Beverley and the Philadelphia 76ers participated in the season of giving by hosting a shopping spree for local students. In collaboration with the SNIPES store at the Roosevelt Mall, members of the NOMO (New Options More Opportunities) Foundation received money to shop at the store, got to meet Beverley and took home custom-made backpacks and sweatshirts. For the Sixers guard, it's just the latest showing love for his new home.

After P.J. Tucker hosted the event last year, one of the new favorite players among Sixers fans took up the opportunity to partake in the community event. Beverley stopped by the store following a team practice and added to the experience by not just interacting with the participants but doubling the amount of spending money each of them initially received. Each shopper had $1,000 total to spend on the collections of shoes, hats and clothes that SNIPES had to offer.

“Once you're here and you like up close and you see everything, this s**t is life-changing,” Beverley said. The Sixers are the latest stop in a 12-year career, giving Beverley a new team to play with (though it features plenty of familiar faces) and a new community to experience. 

“Every city I played in, I tried to get real up close and personal,” Beverley said. “I feel like, man, everybody's paying their tax dollars. They're seeing us play. They're getting overcharged for beers at the arena and they're getting taxed for popcorn and nachos. I would at least give back a little bit, you feel me? So, yeah, that's always been my mindset.”

 

The gritty, hard-nosed attitude Philadelphia continuously boasts made it a perfect fit for Beverley. After signing a one-year deal this offseason, he wasted no time getting acquainted with the city. He recently took trips through the city. At the home opener, he sported a Bryce Harper jersey after the Philadelphia Phillies superstar wore his show that PatBev is already feeling at home less than two full months into his first season with the Sixers.

“I love this city,” Patrick Beverley said. “I mean, I've been catching a real good vibe here. The energy's great.”

The feeling of appreciation Beverley has for the City of Brotherly Love extended to the SNIPES event participants. He talked with the kids as they moseyed around the store, sharing insights on what it's like to play in the NBA and guard superstars like Stephen Curry. The Sixers veteran greeted every shopper with a smile.

“It reminds me of me when I was growing up. I had so much energy, so much wisdom at a young age. And that's what cities do to you. It's not only the parents raising the kids but the city also, so that's why it's important to be solid in the community. You gotta give 'em a lot of credit, man. Regardless of the environment, to make the honor roll, that's always impressive within itself. So to be here and to get rewarded for it, I think it's the best thing. Good for them.”

As the event wound down, Beverley posed for pictures and signed basketballs for the attendees. Along with his signature and jersey number, he included a brief message: keep going. The brief message promotes perseverance, a key trait in his NBA career as one of the players smallest in stature but biggest in heart. Similarly, writing those two words was a small gesture that could leave behind a major impression on the kids.

Not only is Beverley quickly becoming beloved in the city and fan base but among the Sixers, too. The energy he brings off the bench goes a long way and his leadership has been huge for a team that underwent a big roster shake-up at the start of the season. Beverley's energy has been felt on and off the court for each of his five previous teams. The connection he is making with his sixth NBA destination is approaching deep, reciprocal feelings of admiration in record time.

Patrick Beverley said that he reflects on his long basketball journey “all the time” but that he's still looking to grow, adding that he always feels “like I ain't even at where I'm supposed to be at yet. So, just keep going, you know? I think that's the biggest thing.”