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Let's be real: I would've been excited about the Delaware 87ers expansion draft (HAD I KNOWN IT WAS EVEN HAPPENING!) even if they just had 15 Alex Ruoff's and a Nic Wise. We were the ones who broke the Sevens story in the first place, after all. But this roster that came out of nowhere today is even more exciting than I could've dreamed.
Though Josh Akognon (Memphis) and Ish Smith (Phoenix) are owned by other NBA franchises, this Sevens team is stacked with vintage Hinkie picks based on athleticism and former upside. It's the bargain bin -- may as well try to find more than just a dried turd and a ripped deep v-neck.
Names like Willie Warren, graduate of the Tanner Steidel Academy for Incurably Cryptic Talents, Sean Williams, who already leads the Sixers organization is marijuana possession, and Reeves Nelson, the only UCLA player in recent memory who wasn't screwed up by Ben Howland because he was already screwed up coming in. Leo Lyons (MIZZOU!) is a guy who could do something. Ramone Moore and Jerome Dyson can score. Darington Hobson can do a lot of things on the court except shoot. Frank Hassell is an absolute monster (7'3.5" wingspan!) and Tyler Wilkinson is in a similar mold. Jerome Randle may very well be the only actual point guard associated with the Sixers in any way. Other draftees have fun names and various fun skills we'll learn about and forget immediately over the inaugural season.
This is perfect. The Sixers will be an eminently entertaining team to follow and hopefully watch. The Sevens will be just as weird and loaded with shoulda-woulda-coulda's that are all under 26 but generally seen as washed up and worthless. You keep buying scratch-off lottery tickets, you're bound to hit a five dollar payday sooner or later. You can assume a few of these guys play in Philadelphia next year. Who's it going to be? No idea. That's why you gotta pay attention. Because this front office sure as hell will. Perfection.
The Sixers D-League team is everything I like about sports and life and weather and falling in love. Sevens 'til I die.
Seriously, Willie Warren. Hinkie must be a huge Tanner fan.