CAMDEN, N.J. — When his victory lap was halted by the most depressing of news, clinician Daryl Morey sank to far lower than he was expected to be, or perhaps he was momentarily depressed. I was excited.
Shortly after it was announced that Dikembe Mutombo had passed away from brain cancer on Monday morning, the 76ers president was beckoned by team officials during a media day appearance.
When Molly returned, his big smile was gone, replaced with red eyes, a trembling voice, and startled movements. He didn’t feel like answering the next question about Tyrese Maxey’s emergence, but shared some personal memories about the Hall of Fame center.
“I knew him personally. We spent many seasons together in Houston. He was obviously very important to the Sixers franchise as well,” Morey said. “He’s just a great guy. He was the guy I used to go to when I was a new GM in this league. I don’t need to say too much about what he did on the court. He was great off the court. He is truly an amazing human being, considering what he has accomplished for Africa.”
The 76ers acquired Mutombo in 2001, pimping him from Atlanta to Philadelphia after a stellar performance in the All-Star Game in an upset win over the Eastern Conference, and the franchise’s belief in the NBA Finals in June of that year. This was the impetus for an unprecedented breakthrough.
He was named Defensive Player of the Year that season, his fourth honor. Even though the team only won one game against the mighty Los Angeles Lakers, Mutombo, and of course Allen Iverson and coach Larry, are remembered fondly. Brown, his rowdy mentality and two Game 7 wins clinched a spot in the finals. Philadelphia hasn’t reached the finals since.
76ers star Joel Embiid called Mutombo a “role model.”
“It’s a sad day, especially for us Africans,” Embiid said. “Aside from what he accomplished on the court, I think he was even better off the court. He’s one of the players I look up to in terms of making an impact.”
Mutombo’s influence, which began with Alonzo Mourning at Georgetown under the late coach John Thompson, clearly extended to Embiid many years after he finally started playing basketball as a teenager.
Embiid’s recent regular season was Hall-worthy, but Mutombo’s Denver Nuggets shocked the top-seeded SuperSonics in the first round in Seattle in 1994. I’m still looking for a moment to hug you. , the first 1-8 upset in history.
Embiid has had mixed experiences with his teammates since reaching elite status.
“Consistency. That’s really all I look for,” Embiid said. “If you keep changing opponents every year, every two years, I don’t think that’s going to get you anywhere. If you look at some of the teams that have won championships, they’ve been together for a while. I did.
“For me, the key is consistency.”
Embiid has always been a constant, but he hasn’t been able to get the 76ers over the hump. He removed Bell’s paralysis in the first round against the Knicks, scoring 33 points in one night, and Maxey ran around everyone guarding him. That wasn’t enough, and the question of whether the 76ers’ window closed before it opened can’t help but be debated.
Even on a day filled with unexpected sadness, expectations remain high and undeniable in Philadelphia. Morey pulled off a coup this summer when Paul George shunned his hometown Los Angeles Clippers and resisted an offer from the Golden State Warriors.
So while George has gone through yet another change, he plays a style that easily fits into what the 76ers envision. He’s an adaptable two-way wing and a consistent +40 percent 3-point shooter who works well with the space Embiid creates with his mere presence and the gravity Maxey forces with his speed.
And for Embiid, George is Embiid’s most consistent co-star since Jimmy Butler, even though George missed significant time in three of the five seasons he spent in Los Angeles, more so than Ben Simmons or James Harden. is also excellent.
It helps that George also seems to be overcoming himself, having overcome tough challenges in Indiana, Oklahoma City and Los Angeles.
“I always thought I was one of the best players in the league,” George said. “In the beginning, in a selfish way of pushing myself and wanting to be great, I wanted to take it for myself. I wanted to have everything on my shoulders. (At Indiana) When you go through that and play against a competitive, well-rounded superstar team in Miami, you can’t do it alone. You need star power.”
George is 34 years old, the same age as Mutombo when he was rescued from Atlanta as a big man alongside the little guy in Philadelphia. Mutombo’s age may have prevented Philadelphia from making more runs toward a title shot, but if history is any guide, these 76ers will have a real shot at the ring. Might have enough runs.
