New 76ers Addition Reps Philadelphia Phillies at Event

Philadelphia 76ers center Andre Drummond shows his support for the Phillies at a back-to-school pep rally.
Dec 18, 2023; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey (0) and Chicago Bulls center Andre Drummond (3) in action during the second quarter at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images
Dec 18, 2023; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey (0) and Chicago Bulls center Andre Drummond (3) in action during the second quarter at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images / Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

This week, the Philadelphia 76ers are holding multiple back-to-school events before the team leaves for training camp in the Bahamas. On Tuesday, the Sixers and Five Below teamed up to begin the two-stop tour at Thomas H. Dudley Family School in Camden, New Jersey. The team’s special guest was one of the latest additions, Andre Drummond.

The veteran center showed up for the pep rally, which included the team’s mascot, Squad 76, and the Sixers Stixers. Drummond participated in a Q&A session to help provide advice on the upcoming school year, while further discussing a range of topics.

Tuesday’s event offered another opportunity for Drummond to re-introduce himself to Sixers fans, and he did so while representing the MLB’s Philadelphia Phillies.

Philly Support Philly

Just last week, the Sixers sent a message to the Philadelphia Eagles on social media, wishing them luck as they entered their Week 1 matchup against the Green Bay Packers.

Around this time of year, the Sixers tend to show continuous support of the Phillies as well, as they enter the MLB postseason. A couple of weeks ago, Joel Embiid was in attendance, soaking up some baseball action and catching a critical moment on his phone, which went viral.

This week, Drummond sported a Phillies hat while making an appearance, which will only increase his status as a fan favorite.

The Philadelphia 76ers on SI show is available on Spotify, Apple, and Amazon streaming platforms.

Drummond hasn’t had the chance to spend a lot of time with the Sixers in the past. After runs with the Detroit Pistons, Los Angeles Lakers, and the Cleveland Cavaliers, Drummond tested the free agency market in 2021. He signed on with the Sixers for one season, embracing a role as Joel Embiid’s backup.

The veteran center spent 49 games on the court playing for the Sixers. He averaged six points and nine rebounds. At the time, Drummond looked like one of Embiid’s best backups since he started competing for the 76ers. But the partnership was short-lived, as Drummond was included in a mid-season blockbuster trade with the Brooklyn Nets.

After playing 24 games with the Nets, Drummond signed a two-year deal with the Chicago Bulls. He spent both seasons on the Bulls despite being included in trade rumors throughout that time. After his final season in Chicago, Drummond quickly re-signed with the Sixers on the first day of free agency. Once again, he’s embracing a role behind Embiid on a short-term deal.


Published
Justin Grasso

JUSTIN GRASSO

Title: Credentialed writer/reporter covering the Philadelphia 76ers for Sports Illustrated’s FanNation Email: JustinGrasso32@Gmail.com Location: Philadelphia, PA Expertise: Reporting, insight, and analysis on the Sixers and the NBA  Justin Grasso is a credentialed writer and publisher covering the Philadelphia 76ers for Sports Illustrated’s FanNation.  Grasso got his start in sports media in 2016 with FantasyPros, working the news desk, providing game-by-game player analysis and updates on the Portland Trail Blazers and the Golden State Warriors. By 2017, he joined FanSided’s Philadelphia Eagles site as a staff writer. After spending one season covering the Eagles as a staff writer, Grasso was promoted to become the site’s Co-Editor. For the next two NFL seasons, he covered the Eagles closely before broadening his NFL coverage. For a brief stint, Grasso covered the NFL on a national basis after joining Heavy.com as an NFL news desk writer. In 2019, Grasso joined the 76ers' beat on a part-time basis, stepping into a role with South Jersey’s 97.3 ESPN. Ahead of the 2019-2020 NBA season, he concluded a three-year stint covering the Eagles and joined the Sixers beat full-time. Grasso has covered the 76ers exclusively since then for Sports Illustrated. He is a member of the Pro Basketball Writer’s Association.  Twitter: @JGrasso_ Instagram: @JGrassoNBA