CAMDEN, N.J. — The Philadelphia 76ers are in the process of putting together a legitimate contender in the Eastern Conference with their eyes on dethroning the Boston Celtics.
They have had a terrific offseason with the additions of Paul George, Andre Drummond, Eric Gordon, and Caleb Martin. All of them are professionals and they have done a lot in their career to be successful NBA players and they now will all be looking to win their first NBA championship.
Martin is the only one of those four who has made it to the finals when he was a key cog for the Miami Heat in their 2023 run as a No. 8 seed. He will be able to bring that experience and try and help the Sixers get past Round 2 for the first time since 2001.
“Just kinda bringing a little bit of that experience and being able to get to the finals and not too many people know how, obviously, the route is to get there,” Martin said on Tuesday. “I don’t even know myself the route to get there and get through that and that’s why I’m trying to figure out how to get there and find a way to get over the hump with a new group of guys so we all got the same mindset and same goal at hand right now.”
Martin has a knack for stepping up when the time calls for it in the playoffs. He shot 42.3% from deep in the 2023 playoffs and then shot 44% from deep in the 2024 postseason. In the 2023 Eastern Conference finals against the Celtics, he averaged 19.3 points and shot 48.9% from deep.
“I think that’s just one thing I’ve done most of my life is just when it’s a certain level of play that needs to happen and everybody’s level needs to rise, I feel like I fit into that kind of category,” he explained. “I feel like I’ve done that the last couple years and I feel like that’s what I’ll be able to do here with a group of guys that’s talented. I think surrounding myself with guys like that every day is gonna make me better as a player and I think overall, just being able to contribute to the game.”
Caleb Martin on his experience with the Heat and what he can bring to Philadelphia: “Just kinda bringing a little bit of that experience and being able to get to the finals…” #Sixers pic.twitter.com/XwgEtHXzdT
— Ky Carlin (@Ky_Carlin) July 9, 2024
Martin is a worker. Despite standing at just 6-foot-5, he plays much bigger than his size and will take on any challenge on the defensive end as he can guard 1 through 5. He also will always set a tone on either end of the floor with the hustle and the hard work he puts in. That will make him a fan favorite in Philadelphia.
“The feel you get from the fans is just kinda hard-nosed, blue collar, scrappy, do whatever you can and that’s what this kinda crowd and environment feeds off of,” he added. “I think I’m that type of player that can definitely get the crowd going and make plays like that and try to make as many plays as I can and just embrace everything that comes with it so I’m excited.”
Martin went undrafted out of Nevada and was cut by the Charlotte Hornets before having success with the Heat. He has had to earn everything he’s been given and that’s why he’s ready for Philadelphia.
“I just think that nothing’s been really easy for me in my path to get here,” he finished. “I think that kind of fits the narrative of how people go about their day every day around here and the environment. The kind of culture that’s being instilled here. Not only within the facility, but just around the city so I think I fit exactly what people pride themselves on around here.”
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