When the new ownership group took over they promised to listen to the fans and respect the franchise’s storied history. On those fronts, they have stayed true to their word.
Oh, and the Sixers are a pretty good basketball team as well.
On Monday, Sixers CEO Adam Aron announced that the team had bought the original basketball court on which Wilt Chamberlain scored 100 points. The 50th anniversary of that epic event will be celebrated on March 2 during the Warriors-Sixers game at the Wells Fargo Center.
The game was played in Hershey against the Knicks in 1962 and the court had been owned by Hershey Entertainment and Resorts. Some of the court will be displayed at the WFC, other pieces will head to the team’s practice facility at PCOM and some will be shipped to the Basketball Hall of Fame.
“Wilt Chamberlain is without any doubt one of the most legendary individuals to ever play basketball,” Aron said in a statement. “It is an honor for 76ers Managing Owner Joshua Harris and all in our ownership group to celebrate with our fans the 50th Anniversary of Wilt scoring 100 points at an NBA game. We cannot stress enough how excited we are to have found the original court on which Wilt once soared.”
The Sixers had already planned an all-star extravaganza for the 50th anniversary. Now, fans in attendance will also receive a specially-mounted 2×2 piece of the actual court from Hershey, where Chamberlain scored his NBA-record 100 points.
On Sunday, Aron was active on Twitter, as usual, and told fans he was considering bringing former mascot Big Shot back on a permanent basis.
Been a surprising ground swell for Big Shot. Do you want Big Shot back… Yes or No,” wrote Aron on his Twitter account.
So, do you want Big Shot back?
