As the Sixers work out and examine Ty Lawson and Eric Maynor and whatever other second-tier prospects they deem worthy of possibly filling the void at the one that Andre Miller will leave with his semi-inevitable departure to free agency this off-season, it is slightly encouraging to examine the case of Maurice Cheeks. Drafted with a second-round pick out of West Texas State on June 9th, 1978--#36 overall, well behind such future luminaries as Rick Robey, Winford Boynes and Roger Phegley--Mo would merely go on to be, quite probably, the greatest point guard in 76ers franchise history.
One of only two players on the Sixers to play in all 82 games in his rookie season (Henry Bibby the other), Cheeks averaged a respectable 8.4 points, 5.3 assists and 2.1 steals a game his rookie year, rates that would only increase as his career went on. By the time he was traded to San Antonio in 1989, he had achieved the franchise record for assists and steals, and by the time of his retirement, he was fifth overall in all-time assists, and third in steals. He also participated in four all-star games, and perhaps most importantly, he led the Sixers to the finals three times, including their championship 1983 season, where he averaged over 16 points and seven steals throughout the playoffs. The Sixers would retire Cheeks's #10 jersey in 1995.
Of course, that wasn't the last we heard from Little Mo. After a stint coaching in Portland, Cheeks was hired as the Sixers head coach in 2005. Cheeks missed the playoffs his first two years as Allen Iverson's time in Philly fizzled to an unceremonious end, but he took the Sixers to the #7 seed in the '07-'08 season, after many analysts predicted pre-season for the team to finish dead last in the Eastern Conference standings. Despite this strong showing, and the lengthy contract extension to which he was re-signed, Cheeks was fired towards the beginning of last season for his inability to properly integrate star acquistion Elton Brand into a running Sixers lineup. Nonetheless, we owe Mo a certain debt for seeing the team through the dog days of the Allen Iverson era, and hopefully (maybe? possibly?) into the beginning of a more prosperous time in Philly basketball.
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And hey Mo, if you have any thoughts as to who to take with the #17 pick come June 25th, we'd love to hear 'em.