Cunningham hopes the 76ers begin progressing

Billy Cunningham was part of the 76ers two championship teams as a player in 1966-67 and the head coach in 1982-83. Cunningham was among a number of former Sixers luminaries in attendance on Thursday as the team unveiled new home, away and alternate uniforms at the Wells Fargo Center.

Jjust like the Sixers fans, Cunningham is hoping that the team will be able to get quality players to wear those uniforms. He felt for what coach Brett Brown had to endure during the last two seasons when the team was a combined 37-127 and there was a revolving door of players.

"It has to be awfully hard with a coach working with players and all of a sudden they are gone," Cunningham said. "Let's hope they get talented players and things start going in the right direction."

Cunningham praised the work of Nerlens Noel, who ended his rookie year on a strong note, averaging 14.3 points and 9.6 rebounds and 1.9 blocked shots in his last 15 games.
"Noel finished pretty good," Cunningham said. "I don't know what position he is going to play. (Joel) Embiid, we all know there is an issue there."

Cunningham was referring to the recent announcement that Embiid, who missed all of last season with a fractured navicular bone in his right foot, is still not healed, according to the Sixers.

Yet despite Embiid's status, Cunningham feels that now is the time for the Sixers to show progress.

"They need to come up with a couple of players that are quality and start them going in the right direction," he said.

That begins with Thursday's NBA draft when the Sixers will be picking third for the second straight season.