All 76ers

Sixers' Fans Gush Over Return of Fan Favorite Mascot

Sixers fans recently rejoiced over the return of a cult hero in the franchise's history.
Declan Harris|
Jan 4, 2023; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia 76ers mascot Franklin and entertainer Christian Crosby on center court during a timeout in the second quarter of a game against the Indiana Pacers at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images
Jan 4, 2023; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia 76ers mascot Franklin and entertainer Christian Crosby on center court during a timeout in the second quarter of a game against the Indiana Pacers at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images | Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

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Philadelphia 76ers

Earlier on in the offseason, it was revealed that the Philadelphia 76ers would pay homage to their efforts in the 2001 season, when they made it to the NBA finals where they'd fall to the Los Angeles Lakers.

Their way of paying tribute started with their latest city edition jerseys, which are the iconic black uniforms worn by the Sixers' franchise icon in Allen Iverson, as well as their court design being heavily inspired by that of the First Union Center, which was where they played at the time.

This is the latest chapter in the trend surrounding the City of Brotherly Love's basketball scene as they've been bringing back retro-inspired jerseys over the course of the previous few seasons. Most notably would be their two colorways inspired by the Spectrum-era of Sixers' basketball, with the first being a navy blue, and the most recent being the white jerseys they donned in the 2024-25 season.

However, it appears that Philadelphia isn't done with their tribute to that era of their franchise, as they announced the return of a fan favorite on Monday night. As seen in a post shared on social media, the Sixers will be bringing back their sunglass-wearing rabbit mascot named "Hip-Hop."

Hip-Hop was the Sixers' mascot from the late 1990s to the early 2010s before the team shifted gears to Franklin the Dog, who is still the official mascot in the modern era of the franchise.

How do Sixers fans feel about Hip-Hop's return to the court?

Given that Hip-Hop was a fan favorite when he was the mascot of the team, fans erupted on social media over his return to action, with some celebrating the aura he brings to the team.

@SIxersJustin: the vibes are really back

@BQSixers: LETS GOOOO

@PhillyDunk: RAHHH

@BSP_Sully: YOOOOOO

@LibertyLinePHL: legend

@Squid_Cooper: Finals run back on

@JALENCA98TERR: I'm shaking

While some Sixers fans are thrilled about the return of Hip-Hop to the City of Brotherly Love, others are happy to see him back, wishing he had never left the scene. Some would even want him to remain as the mascot going forward.

@TerryFranconia: Bring him back full-time

@BroadStBully_MK: Never should've gotten rid of him

@Philly_Isaac: Make him the permanent mascot again

When will Hip-Hop make his debut?

As seen in the announcement post, Hip-Hop will make his return to the City of Brotherly Love on Nov. 8, which is when the Sixers are set to debut their whole City Edition set up for the 2025-26 season.

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Declan Harris
DECLAN HARRIS

Declan Harris is a writer for FanNation's All76ers powered by Sports Illustrated Media Group. In addition to his role covering the Sixers, Declan also writes for CityXtra, covering Manchester City F.C. He is a 2023 Temple University Lew Klein School of Media and Communications graduate.

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