[jwplayer Yv7CHgmW-z6KDnl0B]
The 2000-01 season was a magical one for the Philadelphia 76ers. They made a run to the NBA Finals, took Game 1 of that series from the Los Angeles Lakers, and Allen Iverson took home league MVP honors.
That work led them to have the 26th pick in the draft and at the time, they did not have any immediate needs. So they took a long and wiry center out Seton Hall in Samuel Dalembert.
Dalmebery averaged 1.5 points and 2.0 rebounds in his rookie season as he played mostly in garbage time. The Sixers had proven big men like Dikembe Mutombo and Derrick Coleman ahead of him at the time. He then missed the entirety of the 2002-03 season with a knee injury.
He then blossomed in the 2003-04 season as he established himself as a rim protector and a reliable option for Philadelphia. He averaged 2.3 blocks that season and he became the regular starter for them at center and he became a key contributor for a few playoff teams in 2005, 2008, and 2009.
Dalembert was sent to the Sacramento Kings in the 2010 offseason in exchange for Spencer Hawes and Andres Nocioni and he spent his final seasons in the NBA being a journeyman. He played for the Houston Rockets, the Milwaukee Bucks, the Dallas Mavericks, and then he finished up with the New York Knicks in 2015. He averaged 7.7 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 1.7 blocks for his career. [lawrence-related id=38183,38180,38169]