In keeping with the NBA's designs on growing the game internationally and potentially locating a league franchise overseas, your Philadelphia 76ers will be one of eight teams traveling abroad next October and will play two preseason games in Europe.
The Sixers take on Uxue Bilbao Basket in Bilbao, Spain on Oct. 6 before heading to Manchester, England for a meeting with the Oklahoma City Thunder on Oct. 8.
Somebody pull Spencer Hawes aside and remind him that the Revolutionary War is over and that we're actually pretty cool with those British cats now.
NBA commissioner David Stern on the international slate:
“Providing fans with an authentic NBA experience is an important part of our efforts to grow the game globally,” NBA Commissioner David Stern said in a statement. “This fall, nearly a third of our teams will embark on a global tour that will celebrate the game of basketball, give our international fans a chance to connect with NBA teams and players, and leave a lasting impact in each of the communities we visit.”
I can't decide if the Sixers are the antithesis of the "authentic NBA experience" or the perfect embodiment of it. I guess that's why they're playing the Thunder.
To that end, this depiction of the Sixers' franchise in the post-Iverson era:
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