With Dwight Howard now calling South Philadelphia home, he becomes the 11th No. 1 draft pick to be a member of the Sixers since the NBA draft lottery was instituted in 1985. The 34-year-old was selected first in the 2004 NBA Draft. The Sixers are Howard’s seventh team, and he’s coming off winning his first ring with the Lakers this past season. Howard has his eyes on his own personal repeat as he told NBC Sports Philadelphia's John Clark he wants to help bring a championship to Philly.

The Markelle Fultz Era did not go according to plan. General manager Bryan Colangelo traded up to No. 1 with the Celtics to make Fultz the top pick in the 2017 NBA Draft. Meanwhile, the Celtics always had their eyes set on Duke’s Jayson Tatum, whom they selected third overall.
Fultz’s tenure in Philadelphia was filled with lots of mystery. His jump shot disappeared. His foul shooting mechanics were awkward. Then he was diagnosed with thoracic outlet syndrome, a nerve condition that affects the neck and shoulders. Fultz only played 33 games over two seasons before being shipped to Orlando in 2019 for Jonathon Simmons, a 2019 second-round pick (Carsen Edwards), and a protected 2020 first-round pick (Tyrese Maxey). By the way, the Sixers traded Edwards and Ty Jerome to the Celtics for Matisse Thybulle in 2019.

Simmons’ time with the Sixers did not get off on the right foot, literally. He fractured his right foot during the team’s final training camp scrimmage in 2016 and ended up sitting out the entire season. Simmons came back with a vengeance for the 2017-18 campaign by winning the league’s Rookie of the Year award. He followed that up by being named to the All-Star Game in 2019 and 2020.

If you blinked, you missed Andrew Bogut’s time in Philadelphia. Bogut was acquired in a trade with Dallas in 2017 but never played a game for the Sixers. The Sixers also acquired Justin Anderson, a 2017 second-round pick and a 2020 second-round pick for Nerlens Noel. Four days after the deal was announced, Bogut was waived.

Doug Collins was Brown’s first coach in Washington and his last coach here in Philadelphia during the 2012-13 season. He appeared in just 22 games for the Sixers. Collins had such a soft spot for Brown that it was reported he wanted the Sixers to sign Brown to a long-term contract. Needless to say, ownership made the right decision by not drawing up a long-term deal.

Philly Max. That was the name of the five-year, $82 million contract coined by Brand himself that he signed with the Sixers back in 2008.
The Sixers wanted to bring in a marquee name and sought out Brand after a deal with Josh Smith fell through. Brand did not post the big numbers he did earlier in his career with the Bulls and Clipper, mainly due to injuries and age. The season before coming to Philadelphia, Brand played in only eight games with the Clippers due to a ruptured Achilles tendon. Brand was released after completing his fourth season as the Sixers opted to use the amnesty clause.

- Hall of Fame
- 2000-01 MVP
- 11x All-Star
- 2x All-Star MVP
- 4x Scoring Champ
- 1996-97 Rookie of the Year

Smith was acquired by the Sixers along with Brian Shaw from the Warriors for Jim Jackson and Clarence Weatherspoon in February 1998. Smith played 30 games for the Sixers before signing with the Timberwolves the following season. He later rejoined the Sixers in the 2006-07 season.

Temple’s own and NBC Sports Philadelphia’s Sixers Pre and Postgame Live analyst Marc Jackson is forever linked with Robinson. In 2003, Jackson and Robinson were part of a four-team trade that brought both of them to the Sixers. Robinson was at the tail end of his career and battled through various injuries, playing only 42 games in the 2003-04 campaign. He was eventually traded to the New Orleans Hornets for Jamal Mashburn and Rodney Rogers.

In February 2005, the Sixers traded for Webber, Matt Barnes, and Villanova’s Michael Bradley, sending Brian Skinner, Kenny Thomas and Corliss Williamson to the Kings. The Sixers made the playoffs that spring but were eliminated by the eventual Eastern Conference champion Detroit Pistons. The following season, Webber averaged nearly a double-double (20.2 points, 9.9 rebounds per game) before agreeing to a contract buyout in January 2007 after playing in just 18 of 35 games that season.

Coleman had two separate stints with the Sixers, the first beginning when the team acquired him as part of a November 1995 trade with the New Jersey Nets that sent center Shawn Bradley up the Jersey Turnpike. In his second tour of duty here, he helped the Sixers make postseason appearances in 2002 and 2003.

These picks are from 1963 to 1984; the Sixers' first year of existence in Philadelphia was 1963.
Doug Collins: Drafted No. 1 in 1973 by Philadelphia (played for Sixers 1973-1981)
Fred Hetzel: Drafted No. 1 in 1965 by San Francisco (played for Sixers 1969-1970)
Art Heyman: Drafted No. 1 in 1963 by New York (played for Sixers 1965-1966)