CAMDEN, N.J. — The Philadelphia 76ers are set to begin another chase for the Larry O’Brien trophy in the upcoming season. After a miserable season in 2024-25 in which nothing went right for them, the Sixers will begin anew as optimism abounds for this group.
There is a lot of reason for that optimism. The Sixers are hungry following that tough season to erase the memory of 2024-25. They are much healthier heading into the season compared to last and Kelly Oubre Jr. sees what this team can be following the additions they made to the roster along with the change in style they have implemented.
“I think we’re all just locked in, man,” Oubre said at practice on Tuesday before heading up to Boston. “We all have that chip on our shoulder and those voices in the back of our head about the disappointment from last year. So it’s just going out there and winning, one, but playing the right way and creating that identity each and every night.”
What kind of identity will the 2025-26 Sixers play with? For one, it’s all about playing with pace. Coach Nick Nurse wants this roster to take advantage of the athleticism it possesses, whether it’s Tyrese Maxey, VJ Edgecombe, Oubre, or whoever, they should get out and run with every chance they get, but to also play with a type of edge. A ruggedness if one will.
“Hard nosed, rugged, physical, athletic, versatile,” Oubre added. “Those are some things I could think off of the top of my head, but we got to continue to just build those habits each and every day, which we’ve been doing against each other, and in the preseason a little bit, but now it’s really time to put those things to test.”
With that being said, one has to wonder how the Sixers go about implementing that type of identity and playstyle on a nightly basis. For Oubre, it starts in camp as Nurse has done everything he can to make sure the team is in a better position to do so than in the past.
“Coming in, showing up, going hard,” Oubre explained. “Nurse has been putting us through the wringer, and think we all came out on top, and we’ll see if we’re ready tomorrow (opening night on Wednesday), but I think I’m confident in our group right now.”
While Nurse and his staff is looking to set that standard and culture, the players have to want it, too. That’s something Oubre has certainly noticed all throughout practice. Especially, when they got some individual work in before training camp truly began.
“First day back in town after Labor Day, you kind of got the gist, like, ‘Oh, we’re flying now,’ you know what I mean? So, yeah, dude, it’s like, going to the test track, and then the car is just going, like, 20 more miles per hour,” Oubre laughed. “So you’re like, what happened to this engine? So I think, you know, Coach modified that, so now we running.”
Opening night is set for Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. EDT from the TD Garden in Boston.
