This weekly NBA season analysis dives into major league storylines to separate fact from fiction. This week's focus: the alleged curse haunting the Philadelphia 76ers.
Since 'The Process' rebuild began, the 76ers have been star-crossed. While the strategy netted high draft picks, including MVP Joel Embiid, consistent success has remained elusive. Embiid himself epitomizes the misfortune, suffering a series of untimely injuries and illnesses just before or during critical playoff moments, from facial fractures to Bell's palsy and a recent appendectomy.
The curse seems to extend beyond Embiid. The franchise's draft history from 2015-2018 is a catalog of misfortune: Jahlil Okafor's off-court issues, Ben Simmons' playoff collapse, Markelle Fultz's mysterious shooting loss, and the tragic case of Zhaire Smith's allergic reaction. Front-office drama, from Sam Hinkie's ousting to James Harden's public trade demand, adds to the bizarre narrative.
Despite heartbreaking playoff losses and relentless bad luck, the final determination is fiction. Curses aren't real. The emergence of stars like Tyrese Maxey offers hope. Yet, for a franchise that can't seem to catch a break, the question lingers: is it just spectacularly poor luck, or something more?