CAMDEN, NJ — The clinical Daryl Morey was reduced to something far less than he’s projected to be, or perhaps he was elevated for a moment, into a moment, as his victory lap was halted by the most sobering news.
The 76ers president had been beckoned away during his media day appearance by team personnel, moments after it was announced Dikembe Mutombo passed away Monday morning following a bout with brain cancer.
When Morey returned, his wide smile was gone, replaced by reddened eyes, a shaken voice and stunned movements. He couldn’t bring himself to answer the next question about the emergence of Tyrese Maxey, but he delivered a personal recollection on the Hall-of-Fame center.
“I knew him personally, we were together for many seasons in Houston, obviously very important to the Sixers franchise as well,” Morey said. “Just a great human being. When I was a rookie GM in this league, he was someone I went to all the time. His accomplishments on the court, we don’t need to talk about too much. Just an amazing human being, what he did off the court for Africa.”
It was the 76ers' acquisition of Mutombo in 2001 following an outstanding performance in the Eastern Conference’s comeback win in the All-Star Game that buoyed him from Atlanta to Philadelphia, the catalyst in the franchise’s improbable run to the NBA Finals that June.
He was the Defensive Player of the Year that season, his fourth such honor, and even though that team could muster just one win against the powerful Los Angeles Lakers, it's remembered fondly because of Mutombo, and of course Allen Iverson and coach Larry Brown, and its scrappy mentality — along with two seventh game triumphs in getting to the Finals. Philadelphia hasn't been to the Finals since.
76ers star Joel Embiid called Mutombo a “role model.”
“It’s a sad day, especially for us Africans,” Embiid said. “Other than what he accomplished on the court, I think he was better off the court. He’s one of the guys I look up to, as far as having an impact.”
Mutombo’s impact, beginning stateside at Georgetown alongside Alonzo Mourning and under late coach John Thompson, clearly stretched to Embiid all those years later once he finally picked up a basketball in his teens.
Embiid’s recent regular seasons have been Hall-worthy, but he’s still searching for that Mutombo-clutching-the-ball-and-cradling-it moment like he did in Seattle in 1994 when Mutombo’s Denver Nuggets shocked the top-seeded SuperSonics in the first round, the first-ever 1-8 upset.
Embiid has had different iterations of teammates after he’s reached elite status.
“Consistency. That’s really all I demand,” Embiid said. “If you keep switching guys every year, two years, I don’t think that takes you anywhere. If you look at some of the teams who’ve won, they’ve been together for awhile.
“For me, it’s all about consistency.”
Embiid has been the constant, but he hasn’t been able to carry the 76ers over the hump. He gutted out Bell’s palsy against the Knicks in the first round, gamely scoring 33 a night while Maxey ran circles around everyone defending him. It wasn’t enough, and the doubts on whether the 76ers' window closed before it opened became irresistible to discuss.
On a day filled with unexpected sadness, the expectations are still quite loud and undeniable in Philadelphia. Morey pulled off a coup when Paul George shunned his hometown Los Angeles Clippers and resisted overtures from the Golden State Warriors to fit perfectly into the 76ers' cap space this summer.
So while George is yet another alteration, he does play the style that fits easily into how the 76ers envision themselves. He’s a malleable two-way wing, a steady plus-40 percent 3-point shooter that works well with the space Embiid will create by mere presence and the gravity Maxey will force by his speed.
And for Embiid, George is the most consistent co-star he’s had since Jimmy Butler, and even though George missed considerable time in three of his five seasons in Los Angeles, it’s better than Ben Simmons or James Harden.
It helps that George seems over himself, too, having gone through the gauntlet in Indiana, Oklahoma City and Los Angeles.
“I always saw myself as being one of the best players in the league,” George said. “Initially, I wanted it to be mine, in a selfish way of pushing myself, wanting to be great. I wanted everything to fall on to my shoulders. Going through it and having injuries (in Indiana) and going against competitive and a well-balanced and superstar team in Miami, you can't do it alone. You know, you need star power. You need firepower.”
George is 34, the same age Mutombo was when he was rescued from Atlanta to be a big piece alongside the little man in Philly. Mutombo’s age might’ve prevented Philadelphia from taking more runs at the title, but if history is a guide, these 76ers might have enough for a real shot at a ring.
