The Top 10 Syracuse Nationals and Philadelphia 76ers of All Time

Yes, I'm counting down the top 10 players from one of the most storied franchises in the history of professional sports.

They were originally founded in 1939 as the Syracuse Nationals and later moved to Philadelphia. They held a contest to decide the new name of the team, and the result was the Philadelphia 76ers—a tribute to the year the Declaration of Independence was signed.

Some of the NBA's most legendary figures have played for Philadelphia, and this list is simply my personal opinion of the top 10 players who epitomize the '76er franchise.

10. "The Boston Strangler" Andrew Toney

He earned his nickname from a Boston, Massachusetts sports column after scoring 34 points in a Game 7 victory over the Boston Celtics in the 1982 Eastern Conference Finals, and it stuck.

Andrew Toney was an extraordinary scorer who squeezed the life out of opposing teams' defenses and their fans with his outstanding clutch performances on the biggest stages. He was a two-time NBA All-Star and one of the key players on the legendary 1983 76ers championship team.

9. Maurice Cheeks

One of the greatest defensive guards to ever play the game—Maurice Cheeks was a fan favorite and known for his ferocity on the defensive end.

He was voted four times to the NBA All-Defensive team and was also a well-rounded player—making four All-Star appearances. He was the heart of the Sixers' Finals teams in the 80s and appeared with them all three times in 1980, 1982, and 1983. Maurice Cheeks retired in 1993 as the all-time leader in steals at that time, and he also coached the 76ers to a playoff berth as a head coach in 2008.

8. Hal Greer

The Philadelphia 76ers all-time leading scorer is not Allen Iverson, Julius Erving or Charles Barkley.

Surprisingly, it's not Wilt Chamberlain either. It's his teammate Hal Greer, who holds the record at 21, 586 points, having playing all 15 of his professional years with the franchise (first as a Syracuse National, then as a Philadelphia Sixer).

He was a 10-time All-Star and was often considered the third best guard of the 1960s behind "Mr. Clutch" Jerry West and "The Big O" Oscar Robertson. He and Wilt were the dynamic duo on the best team in franchise history—the 1966-1967 Sixers team that ended the Boston Celtics eight-year reign as NBA World Champions.

7. Moses Malone

Now I know what you are going to say: Moses Malone is only No. 7 on this list, after he had one of the greatest single seasons any player has ever had?

Malone led the Sixers to the second-best season in their history at a record of 65-17 in 1983. He was an All-Star, League MVP and Finals MVP in the same season, while leading the 76ers on one of the most dominant postseason runs ever that concluded with an NBA Championship.

Moses is also known for the legendary quote which was—at first—thought of as a prediction of the playoffs that season, "Fo, Fo, Fo."

They went "Fo', Fi', Fo'"—sweeping the first round, winning the conference championship in five games and then sweeping their long-enduring rivals, the Los Angeles Lakers, in the NBA Finals to complete what was a historic season for the franchise.

Moses Malone and the 76ers would not be able to duplicate or even come close to replicating that historic 1983 season. Moses also played for seven other teams in his long career, which makes it hard to move him up the list.

6. "Sir" Charles Barkley

Known for his controversial actions, memorable quotes and his "take no prisoners" attitude on the hardwood, Charles Barkley is one of the more enduring figures in Sixers lore.

He was a dominant rebounder and one of the most versatile and athletic players ever—being only 6'4" and playing power forward. Barkley could run the fast break and finish, pass with great accuracy, post up and overpower opponents and shoot with great efficiency from anywhere on the floor.

I believe Charles Barkley probably deserves to be higher on this list, even though he didn't lead the Sixers back to the promise land during the late 80s and early 90s—but honestly, this is the highest I felt I could rank him.

Even though Barkley is well known as a '76er, in my opinion, his best years were as a member of Paul Westphal's Phoenix Suns. His 1992-1993 MVP campaign in Phoenix is simply unforgettable, and the playoff run that followed has to be considered one of the great all-time playoff runs in league history. In Philadelphia, he was amazing, but after Julius Erving retired and Moses Malone was traded, he carried some very pitiful 76er teams.

5. "The Kangaroo Kid" Billy Cunningham

Billy is a surprise here at No. 5, but he is the only person in 76ers history to win a championship as a player and a coach. He is the only constant factor on the two best teams in Sixers' history, and one of the main reasons for their success during the 60s and 80s.

Cunningham was the sixth man on one of the greatest teams in NBA history—the 1967 Philadelphia 76ers. He was also the head coach of all those great Sixers teams of the 1980s, with three Finals appearances in four years and a world championship in 1983.

Billy Cunningham's number is retired for good reason: He is the greatest winner in the history of the franchise.

4. Adolph "Dolph" Schayes

Dolph Schayes is one of the many great players who has sadly been forgotten through the years, but he gets to No. 4 on my list.

In his entire career—played with Syracuse Nationals and Philadelphia 76ers—he led the team to the playoffs in 15 of the 16 years he played, made the All-Star team 12 times and won the franchise's first NBA championship in 1955.

One of the most amazing memories of Dolph Schayes was that he broke his right arm (his shooting hand) but continued to play in a cast. It turned out to benefit him because he developed an off-hand jump shot—making him nearly impossible to guard.

Although he was a better player than he was a coach, Dolph Schayes' contributions to the franchise can't be understated.

3. "The Answer" Allen Iverson

Honestly, no other player aside from Julius Erving is more synonymous with the 76er franchise.

One of the most influential players of all time and an 11-time NBA All-Star, Allen Iverson was drafted by the Philadelphia '76ers with the first overall pick in the legendary 1996 draft, and he was everything that embodied the '76er culture from that day forward.

He was the 1996-1997 Rookie of the Year and considered the Steve McNair of the NBA: He was constantly getting injured, but sacrificed his body every play and turned out heroic performances. Iverson was undersized for his position—as were fellow Sixer alumni Moses Malone and Charles Barkley.

But just like his counterparts, his toughness and will to win made him an enduring figure in the hearts of Philadelphia fans. In 2001, Iverson and the Sixers had a phenomenal year. Larry Brown won Coach of the Year, Dikembe Mutombo won the Defensive Player of the Year, Aaron McKie won the Sixth Man of the Year and Iverson rounded out the bunch by winning the league's scoring title for a second time (he won it four times overall), and the NBA MVP in route to the 76ers first NBA Finals appearance in 18 years.

Iverson would be traded to the Nuggets in 2006 and played with the Pistons and Grizzlies before returning to the Sixers in a forgettable run. Although "The Answer" was also known for many off-the-court issues—his media rants including the infamous "Practice?" speech, sometimes being a one-man show and clashing with teammates and head coaches—his run with the franchise is unprecedented and his impact and style is felt even today.

2. Wilt Chamberlain

Although he was traded to the rival Los Angeles Lakers in perhaps one of the most-lopsided and controversial trades of all time, Wilt Chamberlain is arguably the greatest player to ever dawn a 76er uniform.

But, he only makes it to No. 2 on my list.

Although Chamberlain is the greatest Philadelphia/Golden State/San Francisco Warrior of all time, and is definitely a Top 10 LA/Minneapolis Laker, he makes it on this list at No. 2 because the three-year period he had in Philadelphia between 1965 to 1968 was the greatest three-year period any '76ers player ever had.

Statistically, he was more outstanding as a Warrior, but Wilt won three straight MVPs as a member of the Philadelphia 76ers and was the franchise player on the greatest team in 76er history—the team that won it all in 1967, which was Wilt's first of two NBA championships (he was also the Finals MVP).

Think about this: In the 55 years that the NBA MVP award has been in existence, only three players have won the award three years in a row: Bill Russell (1960-1963), Wilt Chamberlain (1965-1968) and Larry Bird (1983-1986).

Chamberlain also won his last league MVP in 1968 by becoming the only center ever to lead the league in assists at 8.6 per game. Chamberlain's legendary per game stat line in 1968 was astonishing: 24.3 ppg, 23.8 rpg and 8.6 apg.

 And there is still one Sixer better.

1. "Dr. J" Julius Erving

The quintessential Sixer and the face of the franchise, Julius Erving was a spectacular athlete, phenomenal leader and one of the first players who brought the term "slam dunk" to mainstream pop culture.

He was the reason the ABA was a national craze in the 1970s, and the one player that the NBA and ABA fought to attain during the years before the merger. Erving had his best stats in his five years in the ABA, where he won two championships, three MVPs and three scoring titles with the Virginia Squires and later, the New York Nets.

The 76ers bought Erving's contract from the Nets in 1976 and for the next 11 years, Erving became one of the most legendary figures in Philadelphia sports lore.

He turned the 76ers into an elite team upon his arrival and delivered some of the most memorable, constantly played moments in sports history—such as the "Baseline Move" in the 1980 NBA Finals and the "Rock The Baby" dunk over Michael Cooper in a regular season game against the Lakers (the name for the dunk was coined by the late Lakers broadcaster, Chick Hearn).

Julius Erving took the '76ers to three NBA Finals in the 1980s, all against the Los Angeles Lakers. The third time was the charm in 1983 as the 76ers swept the Lakers in the NBA Finals and permanently cemented Julius Erving's legacy in the hearts of the Philadelphia faithful.

The 76ers haven't won a championship since, and his mark can still be seen on the city.

Julius Erving was also one of the most influential players the NBA pop culture has ever seen. Dr. Dre, the infamous West Coast producer and rapper, says Erving inspired the moniker. Erving has been in movies, commercials and players and fans of all generations have—whether they are aware or not—imitated Dr. J's famous maneuvers.

Above all that, Dr. J is the greatest and the longest tenured winner the 76ers and the city of Philadelphia has ever seen, and that's why he's the greatest Sixer of all time.

Conclusion

I know I probably left some people off who deserve to be on here, but everything is always up for debate. Comment and let me know what you think at the bottom of the page. Feedback and criticism is welcome.