Sale of the Philadelphia 76ers Nearly Final
The reported sale of the Philadelphia 76ers to the Apollo Global Management group led by director Joshua Harris is apparently only days away from becoming reality.
According to multiple sources, including Dei Lynam of Comcast Sportsnet Philadelphia, the sale of the Sixers is “very close.”
Discussion of the sale has been around for months, and according to Bloomberg.com the deal could be finalized within the next few business days.
Apollo Global Management is a “private equity investment firm which specializes in leveraged buyout transactions and purchases of distressed securities involving corporate restructuring, special situations and industry consolidations.” Founded in 1990, the Apollo group has invested in AMC Entertainment, Harrah’s Entertainment, Coldwell Banker, Sotheby’s International Realty and Century 21 Real Estate.
The Apollo group will reportedly buy the Sixers from Comcast-Spectacor for around $280 million dollars, a low price to pay for an NBA franchise. Though, it’s the kind of transaction the Apollo group specializes in, leaving many to believe a sale of the Sixers to the Apollo group will benefit the team in the long run.
Philadelphia 76ers Fans Need to Give Nikola Vucevic a Chance
The 2011 NBA Draft is over, and it came and went without the kind of fireworks Philadelphia 76ers fans were expecting. Rumors of trading up and dealing Andre Iguodala danced in Sixers fans heads, but alas it was not to be.
At the end of the night the Sixers drafted Center Nikola Vucevic and Temple Forward Lavoy Allen. Both are big bodies for a team that is in desperate need of, well, big bodies.
The Sixers 1st round pick, Nikola Vucevic, has drawn some mixed reactions from Sixers nation. Some are thrilled with the pick, some aren’t, and some are down-right angry about the pick. A pretty typical response from Philadelphia fans if you ask me.
In my opinion, Vucevic is a need, and whether you like the pick or not he was the guy the 76ers wanted. They worked him out, he met with Doug Collins and they decided before the Draft that they would take him if he was available at 16. Moan and groan all you want, it won’t change anything.
One thing I will ask of you Sixers fans out there, can you at least give the guy a chance?
Vucevic is a damn-near 7-footer, the tallest and heaviest player in the entire draft. And get this, he can also move fairly well, and has some range from outside. He’s got some rebounding ability and a wonderful touch from underneath the basket. He’s come a long, long, long way since his freshman season at USC, that’s got to count for something, right?
Yes, he’s a tad bit soft. And yes, he doesn’t play “above the rim,” or have very good shot blocking ability. I know those are his draw backs, and for a 7-footer those are alarming. However, were you expecting an all-around type of player with the 16th pick?
All the names the Sixers passed on have their flaws as well, Vucevic isn’t the only one. He isn’t the “exciting” pick or the “sexy” player everyone was hoping for, well boo-hoo. There aren’t many “exciting” Centers out there, and there aren’t many “real” Centers period. The 76ers have drafted a 7-footer who seems to have some positives to his game, wants to learn and improve, so give him a shot.
I’m not going to say I watched a lot, if any USC games last season. I won’t tell you I studied hours and hours of film on the guy. But you know what? Neither have you, so keep your judgments about Vucevic to yourself for now. Wait; just a little while before you decide he’s the worst thing to happen to the Sixers since Shawn Bradley.
With the 16th Pick in the 2011 NBA Draft the Philadelphia 76ers Select…… Jordan Hamilton
We continue our Draft day series looking at who the Philadelphia 76ers could possible select with the 16th pick in tonight’s draft.
Other Players Previewed
Next, we’ll take a look at Texas Forward Jordan Hamilton.
Hamilton enters this year’s draft after a fantastic Sophomore year at Texas. He’s one of the most improved players entering the draft, after a lackluster freshman campaign, Hamilton made some major improvements. Hamilton not only saw in increase in minutes, but posted nearly 19 points and 8 boards a game his Sophomore season. He’s an electric offensive player with terrific awareness.
Strengths
- Good Size at 6″9 230lbs
- Great ball handler
- A nice shooting touch
- Dynamic Scorer
Weaknesses
- Selfish
- Takes Bad Shots
- Doesn’t Hit Big Shots
- Not a Great Defender
How His Game Translates at the NBA Level
Hamilton can be a very dynamic scorer, and certainly isn’t afraid to shoot the ball. His decision making needs to improve, and he clearly needs to be more unselfish with the ball. He tends to get lost in the game, trying to do it all himself. Hamilton has terrific offensive skills, and I believe he just needs to mature on and off the court. Learning how to play “the right way” will certainly be necessary for him to be successful at the next level. His scoring ability alone will make him a viable offensive option for most NBA teams, but his weaknesses have to improve if he’s to reach his full potential.
With the 16th Pick in the 2011 NBA Draft the Philadelphia 76ers Select…….. Nikola Vucevic
We continue our Draft day series looking at who the Philadelphia 76ers could potentially pick with the 16th overall selection in tonight’s Draft.
Other Players Previewed
Next, we’ll take a look at USC Center Nikola Vucevic.
After a fantastic Junior season at USC, Nikola Vucevic has become one of the top big-man prospects in this season’s draft. Vucevic averaged 17 pts., 10 boards along with nearly 2 blocks a game during his Junior year.
Strengths
- He’s a big body at 7″0 260lbs
- Strong Basketball I.Q.
- Solid Post-up Game
- Good Defensive Player
Weaknesses
- Not always physical enough
- Seems apathetic at times, not aggressive enough
- Some would call him “soft”
How His Game Translates at the NBA Level
Fellow colleague here at RantSports.com Chris Ransom (You can check out his work at MockDraftMania.com) and I discussed Vucevic during our NBA Mock Draft Chat. We both agreed that Vucevic is certainly an “under the radar” type of player. Mock drafts and previews around the web don’t seem to do Vucevic justice. He’s not a “sexy” player and has been deemed “soft” by a lot of pundits out there. Though, there is no doubt Vucevic has the skill set to make an immediate impact at the NBA level. Aside from his build and upper body strength, it’s hard to find a weakness in Vucevic’s game. He has the ability to face-up or play with his back to the basket, a very versatile player for a 7-footer. I have no doubt that once he adds a bit of muscle, that he’ll be an effective player in the NBA.
With the 16th Pick in the 2011 NBA Draft the Philadelphia 76ers Select……. Markieff Morris
We continue our Draft day series, looking at who the Philadelphia 76ers could potentially select with the 16th pick tonight.
Other Players Previewed
Next, we’ll take a look at Kansas Power Forward Markieff Morris.
Markieff Morris is a Philadelphia-native, and his twin Brother Marcus also a Jayhawk, will be drafted tonight as well. During his three-year career at Kansas, Markieff’s numbers steadily increased, especially his rebounding numbers. He’s slated to be drafted somewhere between the 12th and 20th pick.
Strengths
- At 6″9 and 240lbs, Markieff has great size for a Power Forward
- Fantastic Rebounder
- Good Low-Post Player
- High Basketball I.Q.
- Has some range from outside
Weaknesses
- Turns the ball over often
- Doesn’t focus enough on the Offensive end
- Lacks Offensive moves in the low-post
- Doesn’t always use his size to his advantage
How His Game Translates at the NBA Level
Markieff Morris already has the size and ability to become a productive rebounder at the NBA level. He has some natural offensive ability, but rarely posts up. Once he develops some low-post offensive moves his talents will be fully utilized. Morris knows what he’s doing out there but needs to be more aggressive at times, especially on the offensive end. With his talent and high basketball I.Q. Morris should have no problem contributing immediately at the NBA level.
