LAS VEGAS _ The 76ers have been the laughingstock of the NBA for the last three seasons. They were the butt of jokes on late-night talk shows. Their attendance was shabby and they were only in the national media spotlight when they were about to break another futility record.
It appears that those days are finally over.
The Sixers have been the main attraction at the NBA Summer League.
National publications and out-of-town newspapers have been covering their games in addition to a nice contingent of Philadelphia media. The summer league set a single-day record for fan attendance (16,208) on Saturday. Most were in attendance to watch the Sixers play the Los Angeles Lakers at UNLV's Thomas & Mack Center. And there have been autograph seekers and buzz around the team in Vegas.
It's easy to see why.
First and foremost it has to do with the Sixers getting the first overall pick in Ben Simmons, and folks are watching to see how good he can become. Then there's the fact that Joel Embiid's debut is finally around the corner after he missed the last two seasons following foot surgeries. And what about Dario Saric, who is expected to play for the Sixers this season? Fans are aware that he led Croatia into the Rio Olympics with an MVP performance in an Olympic qualifier.
"I just hear excitement about Philadelphia basketball, and then being here in Vegas, talking to different coaches and different teams, people are excited for us," said Sixers assistant Lloyd Pierce, who is coaching the summer league team. "So I think from that standpoint, the energy is a little bit better."
Very few around the league were excited about the Sixers over the last three seasons.
The Sixers used that time for player development, evaluating talent, and developing a culture. In the process, they kept losing enough games to secure top draft picks. They finished last season with league-worst 10-72 record. They are 47-199 since the start of the 2013-14 season.
"We are bringing it back for sure," Simmons said of his new team restoring the excitement. "We are bringing that back. We've got a young team. Everyone is willing to put that work in. So I'm looking forward to it."
The Sixers are realistic. They know it's going to take a few seasons to field the NBA championship-caliber team they are striving to build. This season, they would be content with winning 25 games.
But ...
"I feel it," Sixers coach Brett Brown said of the buzz surrounding the team in Vegas. "You can touch it, feel it, wrap your arms around it a little with people we think are going to grow with us more than the previous years."
The Sixers (0-2) will face the Golden State Warriors on Tuesday night in the final game of summer league's preliminary round at the Thomas & Mack Center. Former Sixers president and general manager Sam Hinkie attended the Sixers' loss to the Chicago Bulls on Sunday. He is scheduled to be at the tournament all week.
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