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Philadelphia 76ers
Sep 9, 2025 11:01 PM EDT
The Philadelphia 76ers have one of the most passionate fan bases in the NBA. They are known to pack the arena and show their support around the city and on social media. Unfortunately, like many other fan bases, it can be a slippery slope.
With the fans’ passion, that could also lead to some harsh reactions towards the players. The 76ers’ players have already seen this before, as seen with Ben Simmons’ history with the fans at the tail end of his tenure with the team. Now, people are seeing it again with Kelly Oubre Jr.
Philadelphia 76ers wing Kelly Oubre Jr. shooting a three-pointer for the team against the Utah Jazz.
Mar 9, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia 76ers guard Kelly Oubre Jr (9) shoots the ball against the Utah Jazz in the second quarter at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-Imagn Images — Source: Credit: Kyle Ross-Imagn Images
In Philadelphia, the expectations are high for the team. The 76ers must do well to live up to expectations, especially when their NFL counterpart, the Philadelphia Eagles won the Super Bowl in 2025.
The 76ers and their fans have not experienced a championship since 1983, when Julius Erving and Moses Malone led the team to a title. They haven’t even made it to an Eastern Conference Finals since 2001. It has come to a fever pitch, and the players are feeling it on social media.
Oubre Fires Back At The Fans
Philly fans often get a bad rap because they are quite passionate. That usually leads to some unseemly moments between the players and the fans, especially on social media.
Most people will remember how Ben Simmons was treated after he passed on an easy layup during the series against the Atlanta Hawks in 2021. Since then, many 76ers players have faced criticism from the fans, which can be seen as valid, but some of them are not genuine feedback.
That is why Kelly Oubre Jr. took to Instagram to voice his displeasure about the fans, even though he loves them.
“I love Philly, but the love doesn’t seem to be reciprocated. What happened to this place? And for those saying I’m garbage because my 3% went down. Still put up numbers, and I’d still cook you,” Oubre said on Instagram.
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“I played through finger surgeries on my thumb and pinky for three years, but still put my soul in this. That’s one thing only God can take from me. Hope to see y’all soon. Godspeed.”
The 76ers Have Something To Prove In The 2025-26 Season
Heading into the 2025-26 season, the 76ers are a question mark for a lot of people. Joel Embiid is still coming back from his injury, and Paul George wants to bounce back from the disastrous 2024-25 season.
Tyrese Maxey is a bright spot, as well as the young Jared McCain. They have talented players on the top end of the roster, but they need everyone to step up, including role players like Oubre.
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The fans will love them again if they perform well, but Oubre would love to see them supporting the players when they struggle. It will be an interesting situation to follow, as the 76ers fans are never shy to voice their opinions.
About the author
NBA & WNBA Writer, Athlon Sports
Cholo is a lifelong basketball fan who aims to highlight sport through in-depth storytelling around the NBA and WNBA. He has written hundreds of stories since joining Athlon Sports in 2024.