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PHILADELPHIA (AP) — At the first day Josh Harris stepped in the back of the microphone to have fun purchasing the 76ers, he promised lovers the brand new possession crew cared deeply concerning the distressed franchise and vowed a protecting that incorporated Fans founder Michael Rubin and rapper Will Smith would go back the crew to greatness.

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“Our function, make no mistake, is to create a world-class franchise,” Harris stated, “and win NBA championships.”

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Greater than 13 years later, from The Procedure to the postseason, Harris could make just right on profitable his first main championship in Philadelphia — a convention identify, no less than — with one ironic caveat:

Fail to remember the NBA. Now additionally proprietor of the Washington Commanders, Harris can win one in Philly with an NFL crew nearer to the country’s capital than the Liberty Bell.

Around the boulevard from the place the 60-year-old Harris’ 76ers already are straggling to the end line about midway in the course of the NBA season, the Commanders play the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday in an not likely NFC championship recreation.

Take the Commanders to the Tremendous Bowl in simply his 2d season following the unpleasant finish of former proprietor Dan Snyder’s tenure and the District of Columbia simply would possibly erect a statue for Harris close to the Washington Monument. Hoist the George Halas Trophy awarded to the NFC champion in Philadelphia — the place the Sixers haven’t begun to win a playoff recreation previous the second one spherical on his watch — and Harris would possibly want to summon Large Dom over from the Eagles’ sideline to soundly escort him off the sector.

He unearths himself in the midst of two towns’ sports activities loyalties separated via 130 miles.

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Harris, who made his wealth as co-founder of the personal fairness company Apollo International Control, wasn’t essentially all the time unpopular in Philly. Underneath the Harris Blitzer Sports activities and Leisure Banner, the 76ers moved their follow courtroom from an orthopedic medication campus right into a glowing facility in New Jersey and haven’t been afraid to dig deep into their deep wallet to spend on a winner. Joel Embiid signed a $192 million contract extension in September, and trades or free-agent signings for large names and larger contracts for avid gamers from Jimmy Butler to Paul George to James Harden have stored the Sixers aggressive.

After a few years of squabbling, the 76ers just lately deserted plans with the town to transport downtown and as an alternative will spouse with Comcast Spectacor, their present landlord, to construct a brand new enviornment in South Philadelphia.

Philly lovers dish it out to Harris nowadays now not simply for the reason that oft-debated Procedure didn’t yield anything else as regards to a championship however for the reason that onetime school wrestler at Penn — who as soon as touted Philly as his ” 2d house ” and talked up his circle of relatives’s roots within the town, together with a grandfather hired as a U.S. postal employee _ didn’t dedicate his complete fan middle to Philadelphia.

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He swiped proper on sports activities groups like they had been profiles on a courting app. The New Jersey Devils. Crystal Palace of the English Premier League. Even a stake in a NASCAR crew based via former Washington head trainer Joe Gibbs.

Harris, thru different possession teams and buildings or thru HBSE, constructed a number of groups and sports activities houses that peaked when he purchased the Commanders from Snyder and circle of relatives in 2023 for a North American skilled sports activities document $6.05 billion. Similar to when he bought the Sixers, Harris invoked his geographical heritage and famous he grew up within the Washington suburb of Chevy Chase, Maryland.

The 76ers persisted one of the vital worst dropping streaks in NBA historical past _ incomes the nickname ” Tankadelphia ” — within the early years underneath Harris and fellow proprietor David Blitzer thru a calculated rebuilding procedure. With Washington, the turnaround used to be immediate _ from 4-13 final season to 12-5 this season in the back of wunderkind QB Jayden Daniels. The Commanders are flying top headed to Philly, coming off two instantly highway playoff wins that incorporated final weekend’s shocker in opposition to No. 1 seed Detroit.

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Similar to in Philly, a brand new stadium additionally seems at the horizon.

Harris, with a real-time internet value of $11.3 billion, in line with Forbes, nonetheless has an afternoon activity out of doors of sports activities as founding father of asset control company of 26North. But after every recreation, Commanders trainer Dan Quinn and participants of the entrance place of work that come with adviser and previous Golden State Warriors common supervisor Bob Myers hop on a video name with Harris and assessment the deciding performs.

“I particularly like the ones occasions as a trainer so I will display, ‘That is what we had been considering, that is what came about,’ and so it’s a great way to focus on the participant, the instant, the placement, why we selected to do what we did,” Quinn stated. “And it’s just right as a result of I would like him in an effort to ask anything else: ‘Why’d you opt for it? Why did you do this?’ And he’s curious in that means.”

Harris declined an interview with The Related Press for this tale thru an HBSE spokesperson.

Similar to Eagles proprietor Jeffrey Lurie, Harris has in large part receded from the media highlight in Philadelphia and the landlord who as soon as held common state-of-the-franchise information meetings now most commonly holds courtroom like a political candidate or with loose brokers in tow after the newest asset has been added to his portfolio. He’s by no means posited himself as a Philly fan everyman like Phillies proprietor John Middleton however remains to be a staple together with his circle of relatives or different power-brokers at his courtside Sixers’ seat, extra visual to the lovers and the haters than the company Comcast hierarchy that runs the Flyers.

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After the 76ers signed George to a four-year, $212 million contract over the summer season, Harris stated the Sixers had “among, if now not the most efficient crew, we’ve had since I’ve been right here.”

Ruined via accidents, the 76ers have crashed towards the ground of the Japanese Convention standings.

However Harris is correct in a single sense: He does have his easiest crew in Philadelphia assembled underneath his possession — and right here come his Commanders in a position to ship the Eagles packing.

“I put my soccer helmet on and my pads and I used to be in a position for bottles to fly,” Harris stated in 2014 of the predicted reaction from lovers after a 19-win season with the 76ers.

Does he nonetheless have them to hand?

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AP Sports activities Creator Stephen Whyno, in Ashburn, Virginia, contributed to this record.

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