With no basketball to watch or dissect or analyze right now, we continue with our little game of start one, bench one, cut one in the form of the Philadelphia 76ers. The game is simple and that is to choose from three guys who you want to start, bench or cut and the era they are forced to play in is today’s era.
After looking at point guards and shooting guards from Sixers history, we are now moving on to the small forwards in Sixers history. Sunday’s contestants are Julius “Dr. J” Erving, Andre Iguodala, and Billy Cunningham who are three of the best at the position in the franchise’s history.
So, let’s get into it with our choices.
Start: Julius Erving
This is the easy choice out of the group. Erving could really play in any era with his elite athleticism and jumping ability to where he would not have any issues with the athletes of today’s game. He is a guy who averaged 22.0 points and 6.7 rebounds while throwing the Sixers on his shoulders plenty of times. He was a legitimate superstar in this league and he is, quite frankly, the best player in Sixers history.
Bench: Andre Iguodala
This was a tough decision. Overall, Billy Cunningham is probably a better player and has made more of an impact, but for today’s era, Iguodala is the better choice to keep. He is a Swiss Army knife as he is able to do so many different things out on the basketball court while also being a solid defender and offensive player. He would be a nice piece to have off the bench.
Cut: Billy Cunningham
So, this unfortunately, means we have to cut Cunningham. He was a terrific player in the franchise’s history helping the Sixers win the 1967 title, but today’s athletes would probably run circles around him. It does not mean he is a bad player and his status in franchise history is tainted, but it’s all about preference here. [lawrence-related id=29315,29307,29297]