The Sixers kicked off the 2023 offseason by signing Patrick Beverley, a veteran shooting guard who most recently played for the Chicago Bulls. Even at age 35, he shows no signs of slowing down and is more than happy to take on a veteran role with the Philadelphia 76ers. Across the 2022-23 season in Los Angeles and Chicago, he averaged 6.2 points, 3.7 total rebounds, and 2.9 assists per game.
Hailing from Chicago and playing for the Arkansas Razorbacks in college, Beverley isn’t a Philadelphian by birth, but the hustle and passion for the game he brings with him embodies Philadelphia in its purest form. You might know his basketball skills — like his iconic putback dunk on the Boston Celtics in January of this year — but what makes Pat Bev special is his off-court antics and of course, what he brings to the locker room.
Beverley spent his first day in Philadelphia taking a pottery class — something he had always wanted to try, according to his Twitter. This creativity and passion is something he brings to the court day after day and season after season. In January, during a Lakers v. Celtics game already full of drama, Beverley grabbed a camera from the sidelines and walked up to referee Eric Lewis pointing at the screen. Beverley earned a technical foul for this, but it shows the lengths he’ll go to defend his teammates and fight for the win.
Pat Bev’s loyalty is evident in his career history — he spent five seasons with the Houston Rockets and four seasons with the Los Angeles Clippers before being traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves in 2021. Beverley won’t leave a team he likes unless he’s traded, and as he nears retirement, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him finish his career with the Sixers over the next few seasons.
This loyalty throughout a long career would be a huge help to young Sixers like Tyrese Maxey and Paul Reed, who have seen their fair share of drama and chaos since their rookie season in 2020. Beverley’s loyalty should be a great help for the locker room going forward, as rumors of James Harden seeking a trade shake NBA media on a weekly basis.
Beverley’s most iconic moment came when he played for the Timberwolves during the 2021-22 season. When the Timberwolves beat the Clippers in the play-in tournament to advance to the playoffs, Beverley threw his jersey into the crowd and celebrated on the court. While this move has been memed online countless times, it shows his passion for the game — regardless of if he’s winning or losing, he’s grateful to be there and wants to win, and he’s not afraid to make it known to anyone and everyone watching him.
After the game, during a press conference, Beverley said he told his former teammates to “take they ass home… it’s a long flight back to LA.” Even when he’s only with a team for a short period of time, he fights hard and has no qualms about being himself.
With a culture of hustle, passion, and chaos surrounding Philadelphia’s storied basketball history, Beverley will fit right in. When he comes back to the court this October in the Sixers’ red, white, and blue, he’ll bring everything he’s learned in his fifteen-year career to the court with him.
