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  • 🧱 Building block | Sports Daily Newsletter

    🧱 Building block | Sports Daily Newsletter

    Forget trust the process. For the Sixers, it’s about finding a solution, and Jameer Nelson wants to be part of it.

    Nelson reportedly was the primary internal candidate for the president of basketball operations job that went to Mike Gansey. Instead, the Chester native and former St. Joseph’s star was promoted from assistant general manager to executive vice president of basketball operations.

    Nelson’s understanding of the current roster, city’s passionate fan base, and media scrutiny is valuable. In past years, he has received job interest from other teams, but he feels “responsibility to help this organization move forward.”

    Gansey intends to do the same.

    He doesn’t plan on undertaking a major roster overhaul, but rather maximize Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, VJ Edgecombe, and Paul George in the short term. However, it’s no secret that getting those stars on the floor at the same time is easier said than done.

    Gansey said the Sixers are not championship caliber as it stands, but he’s looking to bring in players to build that roster.

    Maybe he’ll be tapping into his previous experience with the Cleveland Cavaliers to get there.

    — Isabella DiAmore, @phillysport, sports.daily@inquirer.com.

    If someone forwarded you this email, sign up for free here.

    ❓The Phillies have several candidates who could make the All-Star team, who do you hope to see get picked and why? Email us back for a chance to be featured in the newsletter.

    Back in Toronto

    Don Mattingly was the Blue Jays’ bench coach for three years and took the same role with the Phillies this offseason. Jose F. Moreno / Staff Photographer

    Don Mattingly was back in Rogers Centre for the first time since the Blue Jay’s 5-4 loss that cemented the Dodgers as back-to-back World Series champions.

    With more than four decades in baseball as a player, manager, and coach, 2025 was Mattingly’s first time being involved in a World Series. He initially planned to retire after stepping away from the Blue Jays as their bench coach this past offseason.

    But his path has brought him back to Toronto, this time as the Phillies’ interim manager.

    Mattingly trusted ace Cristopher Sánchez, and he delivered in a 5-2 Phillies win.

    What we’re …

    🤔 Wondering: Why did Daryl Morey attend Rittenhouse Chess Club’s Charity Blitz tournament after parting ways with the Sixers?

    ⚾ Reminiscing: About Larry Bowa recalls Philly’s 1976 All-Star Game at Veterans Stadium on the Phillies Extra podcast with Scott Lauber.

    🏈 Learning: How Chris Kuper plans to lead the Eagles offensive line after replacing Jeff Stoutland as offensive line coach.

    📖 Reading: The NCAA outdoor track and field championship begins this week. Here’s what to know about Penn’s four qualifiers.

    Latest rumblings

    The Flyers draft at No. 21 in the first round and only have five draft picks, so they were busy evaluating prospects at last week’s combine.Jeffrey T. Barnes

    General manager Danny Brière met with 50 players at the NHL scouting combine, including Blake Zielinski, a native of Berlin, Camden County, who grew up a diehard Flyers fan.

    The Flyers have just five picks over seven rounds in the draft, and while the prospects met with front office staff and went through the gauntlet of fitness testing, the week in Western New York also is a chance for general managers to chat with each other and agents.

    Here’s some key notes to know about the Flyers’ free agency, who they met, and more.

    Long-cherished dream

    Christian Pulisic made his United States men’s national team debut about ten years ago.Scott Kinser

    Ten years ago, Christian Pulisic, who was born in Hershey, came to Philadelphia as a U.S. men’s national team player during the Copa América Centenario. He’s now on the cusp of one of soccer’s rarest privileges: playing in a World Cup on home soil.

    The 27-year-old star is still very much an American poster boy — even as the sport has grown so much that he’s no longer the only one. Though, his age is a soccer player’s prime, and it’s right on time for the biggest stage of his life.

    David Murphy’s take

    Mike Gansey helped oversee some good, old-fashioned roster building in Cleveland. Tom Gralish / Staff Photographer

    Gansey’s first news conference as the Sixers president of basketball operations offered little detail about the team’s path forward. All of this was to be expected.

    Sam Hinkie’s biggest problem wasn’t The Process itself. It was his explicit acknowledgment of it. Daryl Morey was ultimately defined by his unabashed and steadfast belief in the power of veteran superstars rather than his draft night successes.

    Gansey, meanwhile, didn’t say much. That might be for the best, writes columnist David Murphy.

    What you’re saying about the World Cup

    We asked: What game or team are you looking forward to watching in the World Cup? Among your responses:

    Spain — if Lamine Yamal is healthy, this is their year. — Richard V.

    Of course, it’ll be Team USA, with its four Union homeboys, but I’ll also be following Harry Kane and England, as well as France, the team I think will win, and Curaçao, because why not? — Joel G.

    USA all the way. The deepest run they have made in the modern era was the quarterfinals in 2002 24 years ago. Can they do it? I will have to ask my Jr. College Hall of Fame soccer coach friend Mike. — Everett S.

    We compiled today’s newsletter using reporting from Gina Mizell, Gabriela Carroll, David Murphy, Scott Lauber, Lochlahn March, Ryan Novozinsky, Jonathan Tannenwald, Jackie Spiegel, Conor Smith, and Owen Hewitt.

    By submitting your written, visual, and/or audio contributions, you agree to The Inquirer’s Terms of Use, including the grant of rights in Section 10.

    Thanks for spending another morning with me. Have a terrific Tuesday. — Bella

  • Cristopher Sánchez strikes out 10 as the Phillies top the Blue Jays

    TORONTO — Cristopher Sánchez glanced toward the Phillies dugout and signaled, one more.

    He was already at 101 pitches in the seventh inning, and Orion Kerkering had already warmed up in the bullpen. The Blue Jays had just brought switch-hitting catcher Brandon Valenzuela in the game as a pinch-hitter with two runners on.

    But interim manager Don Mattingly nodded, deciding to grant Sánchez’s request. Phillies pitching coach Caleb Cotham headed out for a mound visit to check in and discuss how to attack Valenzuela, but the ball stayed in Sánchez’s hand.

    “Sánchy’s easy to trust,” Mattingly said.

    And the Phillies lefty made sure that trust wasn’t misplaced. Like he had all night in the 5-2 win over the Blue Jays, Sánchez rebounded from adversity to induce a groundout from Valenzuela to end the inning.

    Back in Toronto as Phillies interim manager, Don Mattingly reflects on Blue Jays’ run to the World Series

    “I don’t like leaving guys on base,” Sánchez said through team interpreter Diego D’Aniello. “I felt great today. … Obviously a big thank-you to the manager for trusting me with that. And I told him that after the game.”

    An early offensive outburst was just enough for the Phillies to take the first game of the series. Sánchez gave up two runs, including his first homer allowed since April 23.

    He had cruised early in his start, retiring the first six Blue Jays he faced. But after a long top of the third while the Phillies worked long at-bats against lefty Patrick Corbin, Sánchez’s command initially wasn’t as sharp.

    He allowed his first hit of the day, a leadoff double to Myles Straw, and then fell behind in the count to Tyler Heineman. But he battled back to induce consecutive groundouts, conceding one run, and then struck out George Springer.

    Ernie Clement led off fifth inning with a homer — the first Sánchez had allowed since April 23 — but he responded right away by retiring the next three Blue Jays. He helped himself out with a strong defensive play on a grounder hit back to him. Sánchez bobbled the ball, but recovered, barehanded it, and fired it to Harper who picked it for the out.

    “I’m laughing a little bit because [Alec Bohm] at the time told me, ‘Don’t throw it, don’t throw it.’ I threw it anyway,” Sánchez said.

    Sánchez also picked up right fielder Adolis García in the sixth inning. Yohendrick Piñango, the Blue Jays’ nine-hole hitter, doubled and then advanced to third when García misplayed the ball off the wall. The ball deflected off García’s foot, and he was charged with his third error of the season.

    “I talked to him after the inning, right away, and he told me just to stay calm because he was there for us,” García said. “I think it’s really important for us to have that type of communication because it allows us to be aggressive and just go after the ball.”

    Sánchez struck out the top of the Blue Jays order — Springer, Nathan Lukes, and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. — to leave Piñango at third base.

    ‘Phillies Extra’ Q&A: Larry Bowa on Philly’s 1976 All-Star Game, a Trea Turner rebound, and more

    “I think the sixth is huge. It kind of shows who he is, right?” Mattingly said.

    Sánchez struck out 10, five of which came in the sixth and seventh inning as he seemed to get sharper as his outing progressed.

    The Phillies had seven hits and drew five walks. They jumped out to an early lead in the second inning. Bryson Stott won a nine-pitch battle against Corbin with a double to center field and García blasted his third homer in the last five games to put the Phillies up, 2-0.

    García has continued to hit early before each game with the hitting coaches. He said he focuses on getting his timing down in those extra sessions. It’s paying off: After posting a .125 average and .182 slugging percentage in May, he is hitting .269 and slugging .654 in June.

    “I feel good, and I feel comfortable at the plate. I think it’s about making the adjustments,” García said.

    Patience against Corbin paid off for the Phillies in the third. After Kyle Schwarber flew out to center field to start the inning, the next seven Phillies reached base — walk, walk, hit by pitch, single, single, walk, and fielder’s choice — and they scored three more runs.

    What if the Phillies’ most impactful addition was a resurgent Trea Turner? He’s working to make it happen.

    They couldn’t get much going against the Jays bullpen, which took over in the fourth, but the early cushion was enough with Sánchez on the mound for seven.

    “Whenever we have him on the mound, the type of pitcher that he is, it’s almost a sure win if we get him run support,” García said.

    Brad Keller took over in the eighth and sidestepped a walk and a single for a scoreless frame, while Jhoan Duran picked up his 16th save of the season in the ninth to seal the win.

  • Trump crashes the NBA Finals and creates chaos at Madison Square Garden

    NEW YORK — There were 66 New York Police Department vehicles and two garbage trucks acting as barriers parked around the corner of 33rd Street and 8th Avenue. Forty-three of the vehicles, including 35 motorcycles, were lined up on 33rd alone.

    Both streets were locked down, and it wasn’t because John Turturro was inside Madison Square Garden.

    Trump was coming.

    President Donald Trump on Monday became the first sitting president to attend an NBA Finals game. He did so in the worst possible setting: the middle of the biggest, most congested city in the United States.

    Trump, a native New Yorker, said he was invited by Knicks owner James Dolan. He choppered into the city and took a limo to the arena, but did not sit courtside as planned.

    With the best seats auctioning off for more than $500,000 and the worst seats going for more than $6,000, maybe he couldn’t afford it.

    During the national anthem, he was shown in a suite, saluting.

    The boos were absolutely monumental, long and sustained, drowning out the hearty singer, Avery Wilson, and whatever cheers there might have been.

    Knicks guard Josh Hart expressed regret that ticket prices were so high that many long-suffering Knicks fans, whose team last won a title 53 years ago, would have to watch on TV.

    “I kind of wish ticket prices weren’t as crazy as they are. I feel like a lot of people have been waiting for this moment for a very long time,” Hart said. “Unfortunately, they’re not able to get into the building with the cheapest ticket $7,000 or $8,000. That’s ridiculous.”

    You wondered what, then, Hart thought of Trump and his entourage taking up so much space in the World’s Most Famous Arena. Hart has been a frequent critic of Trump’s, celebrating on X, then known as Twitter, when Trump lost the 2020 election.

    Hart has not issued any comment on Trump attending Monday night.

    Trump’s presence only amplified what you knew would be a frenetic, eclectic, and electric atmosphere.

    There was Spike Lee mugging courtside in a signed Pope Leo jersey. Signed.

    Comedian Larry David and Patriots owner Robert Kraft were hugging and texting courtside.

    Ben Stiller arrived four hours early, game face on, and was rubbing elbows with Pat McAfee, Stephen A. Smith, and what seemed like the rest of the ESPN staff that isn’t covering the College World Series.

    Jeremy Lin was in a leather Knicks jacket, and, for some reason, was stretching his Achilles tendons backstage. He looked fit. Secret weapon?

    Long before tipoff, thousands of folks outside were being misdirected by confused cops for an hour, then standing in lines another 90 minutes to get through security. There didn’t seem to be an empty seat by game time.

    New Yorkers knew what was up. They’re used to Trump messing up Manhattan traffic.

    ESPN studio host Ernie Johnson, his bow tie undone, was getting wanded by Secret Service as he entered the arena 4½ hours early, then waited among a herd of press types for 20 minutes to be let in 30 minutes early, then waited 15 minutes for the only accessible elevator before they turned on the escalators around the corner.

    Spurs center Victor Wembanyama went through the same process two hours later.

    Both coaches said Trump’s presence and the resulting complications affected neither them nor their teams.

    We’ll see.

  • Somali referee won’t officiate in World Cup after being denied entry into the United States

    Somali referee won’t officiate in World Cup after being denied entry into the United States

    Somali referee Omar Artan won’t officiate in the World Cup after being denied entry into the United States.

    U.S. Customs and Border Protection said Monday that a Somali national who was planning to referee in the World Cup had been denied entry after arriving to Miami International Airport from Istanbul on Saturday. While the CBP statement didn’t mention the person by name, Artan is the only World Cup referee from Somalia.

    FIFA confirmed later Monday that Artan wouldn’t be able to train and officiate at the World Cup.

    “FIFA is not involved in host country immigration processes, including visa adjudications, and has been informed by authorities that Mr. Artan’s status will not be changed at present,” soccer’s governing body said in a statement. “In line with previous FIFA events, a host government ultimately determines who receives a visa and who is admitted into their country.”

    FIFA president Gianni Infantino (right) with U.S. president Donald Trump, vice president J.D. Vance, and the World Cup trophy in the Oval Office last year.Jacquelyn Martin

    CBP issued a release explaining why Artan was denied entry.

    “During processing, the traveler underwent additional inspection, a routine part of CBP’s inspection process when officers need to verify information or determine admissibility,” CBP said in its statement. “Following inspection, the traveler, a referee for the FIFA World Cup, was determined to be inadmissible due to vetting concerns and was denied entry.”

    The World Cup has always been political, but it feels even more so now

    CBP said all travelers seeking entry into the U.S. — including athletes, coaches, and staff — are subject to CBP inspection and vetting.

    “Admissibility determinations are made on a case-by-case basis using law enforcement, national security, and immigration information available at the time of inspection,” the CBP statement said. “CBP officers have the authority to question travelers, conduct inspections, and determine admissibility consistent with U.S. law.”

  • Back in Toronto as Phillies interim manager, Don Mattingly reflects on Blue Jays’ run to the World Series

    Back in Toronto as Phillies interim manager, Don Mattingly reflects on Blue Jays’ run to the World Series

    TORONTO — Moments after the Blue Jays’ World Series hopes dwindled away in Game 7 against the Dodgers last November, Don Mattingly sat in Toronto’s dugout and looked out at the field at Rogers Centre.

    Bo Bichette, who departed the Jays for the Mets in free agency a few months later, shared a hug with his bench coach before they disappeared into the clubhouse.

    “I was just kind of watching the end of it, and taking it in,” Mattingly said. “I usually get out of the dugout after a game, but that one I just kind of watched, took it in, and then Bo came over.”

    On Monday, Mattingly was sitting at that ballpark but in the opposite dugout, now as the Phillies’ interim manager. It marked his first visit to the Rogers Centre since the 11-inning, 5-4 loss that cemented the Dodgers as back-to-back champions.

    Over his more than four decades in baseball as a player, manager, and coach, 2025 was Mattingly’s first time being involved in a World Series.

    “What I learned: It’s hard to get there; it’s hard to move through each round,” he said. “Just emotional, right? If you’re the team that doesn’t get the last out, it’s a crash. No matter if it’s at that level or it’s the first round. That feeling is the same.

    “But once you get away from that, from last year’s standpoint, you really are proud of the team, right? What they were able to accomplish, the guys that are in there, and you feel for those guys, and they kind of laid their hearts out there.”

    Don Mattingly has plenty of familiarity with the Blue Jays’ roster.Lynne Sladky

    Mattingly spent three years as bench coach for Blue Jays manager John Schneider. He stepped down after the World Series, as he felt like he had accomplished his goal of helping Schneider, a younger manager, establish himself.

    He couldn’t have predicted that five months later, he would be managing again. Mattingly initially planned to retire but changed his mind after he was approached by the Phillies in the offseason for their open bench coach job. And after Rob Thomson was fired following the Phillies’ slow start, Mattingly was back at the helm.

    He said he’s taken many lessons from his previous stops into his position.

    “I think a lot, the way Schneids does things, and the way Toronto actually does things,” Mattingly said. “But I can say the same from everywhere. From Miami, I can say the same from LA, I could say the same from being around Joe Torre with his staff. So you’re always taking. I always try to take from everyone, good or bad. Take the bad, and know that that’s not what you want to do, right? So I’m taking all the time.”

    Don’t blame Rob Thomson for the Phillies’ flawed roster | Marcus Hayes

    With this series against Toronto, Mattingly’s familiarity also gives him a leg up with game-planning.

    “It’s a little less having to totally go through a club you don’t know anything about,” he said. “Like a lot of the White Sox guys we just got done playing, there was a lot of new faces that I hadn’t seen play before. It makes me more comfortable. I don’t know if it makes it easier, but I definitely kind of know who these guys are, in a sense, and how they use them. But you still got to get outs, and make plays, and all that kind of thing.”

    Brandon Marsh slid over to center field on Monday.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer

    Extra bases

    Justin Crawford sat against Blue Jays left-hander Patrick Corbin on Monday, with Edmundo Sosa drawing into the lineup at left field and Brandon Marsh sliding to center. … Zack Wheeler (5-1, 2.31 ERA) is scheduled to start against Blue Jays righty Dylan Cease (3-3, 3.05) on Tuesday. Cease will be making his first start since he was placed on the injured list on May 25 with a left hamstring strain.

  • New Eagles offensive line coach Chris Kuper isn’t trying to replace Jeff Stoutland. He’d rather ‘be myself.’

    New Eagles offensive line coach Chris Kuper isn’t trying to replace Jeff Stoutland. He’d rather ‘be myself.’

    New Eagles offensive line coach Chris Kuper knows he has big shoes to fill replacing Jeff Stoutland.

    Stoutland coached the unit for the last 13 years, won two Super Bowls, and coached at least one Pro Bowler in every season. He became a household name as an offensive line coach.

    So, how is Kuper approaching this seemingly impossible task?

    “Replacing him, I’ve just got to be myself,” Kuper said Monday in his first press conference in Philadelphia. “I think in general, being in those chairs before as a player, I’ve gone through a lot more coaching changes than these guys have. The guys I just left in Minnesota have gone through a lot more than I even did.

    “So there’s an evolution to football where you have to be adaptable. You’re going to have to adjust. There’s always going to be new terms with new coaches, new offenses. It’s the way [you go] about applying those things when you’re in there and on the field.”

    What the film predicts about Dontayvion Wicks’ and Eli Stowers’ impact for the Eagles in 2026

    Kuper, 43, spent the past four seasons as the Minnesota Vikings’ offensive line coach. He played eight seasons with the Denver Broncos. He mentioned several times Monday that he believes his playing experience will help him mold his new unit.

    “I’ve been in those huddles, I’ve had my hand in the dirt,” Kuper said. “I understand some of the sensations that these guys feel when they’re taking the wrong angle or the right angle or their hand’s not in the right spot or some of the adjustments that I’m going to ask them to make live on game day. But it’s going to be about trust.

    “I have to earn the trust of the guys, and this is the honeymoon period. We’re in the offseason. There’s no live bullets coming. So, this is just part of the process. I think a lot of that process is going to be built throughout training camp.”

    Eagles offensive lineman coach Chris Kuper, (right) spent the previous four seasons with the Vikings.Chris Szagola / AP

    Kuper came to Philadelphia after Minnesota did not retain his contract when it expired this offseason. The Vikings allowed the second-most sacks in the NFL last season, though they used a staggering 25 line combinations due to injuries.

    With Kuper and new offensive coordinator Sean Mannion — who played in Minnesota when Kuper was on staff — now in charge, the Eagles offense is going to look different. They are expected to implement a wide zone scheme with concepts that look similar to the offense Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell uses. The Eagles’ run game in particular will look different, featuring wide zone blocking to stretch opposing defenses horizontally.

    Jordan Mailata has high praise for new Eagles offensive coordinator and ‘evil genius’ Sean Mannion: ‘You’re in for a show’

    What does Kuper think the new offense could look like?

    “We’re going to try to make the defense defend every blade of grass on the field,” Kuper said. “Eventually this thing’s going to evolve into what our players are good at. So the starting point is they’re going to digest everything we got and then we’re going to start to build our offense as we get closer into training camp through training camp.

    “This will be our offense when it’s all said and done.”

  • Former Union manager and Philly-area native Jim Curtin to become coach of MLS’s Austin FC

    Former Union manager and Philly-area native Jim Curtin to become coach of MLS’s Austin FC

    After parting ways with the Union in 2024, Jim Curtin has a new head coaching job.

    Austin FC announced Monday afternoon that it hired Curtin, a Bishop McDevitt and Villanova product who led the Union for 11 seasons.

    Curtin, an Oreland native, will start his new job with the Verde after the 2026 Major League Soccer season, which concludes in December.

    “I am incredibly honored to be named the head coach of Austin FC,” Curtin said in a statement. “This is a moment I will never forget, and I’m grateful to [club owner] Anthony Precourt, [club president] Andy Loughnane, and the club’s ownership group for the trust placed in me.

    “From our very first conversation, they shared a vision for Austin FC that is bold, ambitious, and built for the long term. Their belief in what this club can become is contagious, and I’m proud to help bring that vision to life.”

    Austin is one of seven MLS franchises that fired its coach before the league went on hiatus for this summer’s FIFA World Cup. The club fired sporting director Rodolfo Borrell and head coach Nico Estévez on May 18 after starting 3-6-5 (14 points) in league play. Austin then lost its final game before the World Cup.

    The Union became the seventh team to part ways with a coach when they announced the dismissal of Bradley Carnell alongside sporting director Ernst Tanner in May. The Union still are searching for Carnell’s replacement.

    Curtin said in Austin’s release that he had “several other opportunities, both within MLS and abroad, but none of them excited me the way [Austin] did.”

    Curtin took over the Union in 2014 and led the club to a 141-162-90 record over more than a decade on the touchline. The Union made the playoffs seven times under Curtin, winning the Supporters’ Shield in 2020 and reaching the MLS Cup finals in 2022.

    Jim Curtin (center) was manager for the Union’s only MLS Cup final appearance in 2022. Jose F. Moreno / Staff Photographer

    Curtin was named the MLS Coach of the Year in 2020 and 2022.

    After missing the playoffs for the first time in six seasons, the Union parted ways with Curtin at the end of the 2024 regular season. The club hired Carnell to replace Curtin in January 2025.

    Curtin’s first season in charge in Austin will be the 2027 “sprint” season, a 14-game slate that will facilitate MLS’s move to a summer-to-spring league calendar. He will take over for interim coach Davy Arnaud, who will lead Austin through the remainder of the 2026 season.

    MLS matches will resume July 16, and the Union’s first game back will be at home against the New York Red Bulls on July 22 (7:30 p.m., Apple TV).

  • Mike Gansey’s career started in Cleveland. Here’s how that experience will inform his role as Sixers president of basketball operations.

    Mike Gansey’s career started in Cleveland. Here’s how that experience will inform his role as Sixers president of basketball operations.

    During his introductory press conference, new 76ers president basketball of operations Mike Gansey detailed his journey to Philly, explaining the role he played in the Cleveland Cavaliers front office for more than a decade as he climbed up the organization’s ranks.

    Gansey most recently served as Cleveland’s general manager, but he has worked in a number of roles since joining the organization in 2011. A native of Olmsted Falls, Ohio, Gansey took some time to thank the franchise on Monday.

    “Cleveland has been home for me, and leaving that special group was not an easy decision at all,” Gansey said on Monday. “I have nothing but gratitude and admiration for the Gilbert family [majority owners], [president of basketball operations] Koby Altman, [coach] Kenny Atkinson, the players and everyone with that organization that have helped me personally and professionally.”

    Sixers promote Jameer Nelson to executive vice president of basketball operations

    Promoted to general manager in 2022, Gansey helped build the Cavaliers into a contender. The team traded for franchise cornerstone Donovan Mitchell during Gansey’s first season as the team’s GM. Then, after finding minor playoff success despite impressive regular-season finishes, the Cavaliers made another splashy move. Cleveland traded two-time All-Star Darius Garland to the Los Angeles Clippers for James Harden, forming a new backcourt between the former MVP and Mitchell.

    After winning 52 games this season, the Cavaliers were swept by the New York Knicks in the Eastern Conference finals.

    On Monday, Gansey explained his role with the Cavaliers and the part he played in major moves: “I did all the day-to-day. Talking to players, the agents, collaborating with any coach. I mean, me and Kenny [Atkinson] had a great relationship, we talked every day. … I haven’t been the number one guy, but right there with Koby, and Koby put a lot on my plate. I was very fortunate to be able to work as much as I did.”

    The Harden move, in particular, has given some Sixers fans and analysts pause. Harden, who played two seasons in Philadelphia before requesting a trade, struggled against the Knicks in the playoffs, averaging just 16 points, 4.8 rebounds and 3.0 assists in the four-game series. On Monday, Gansey did not offer much insight about the team’s acquisition of the 36-year old.

    “Obviously I was in those conversations,” Gansey said. “I was involved, but you know, James is with another team now. So you know, 10 days ago I could have answered every question you had on James, but he was great for us.”

    Mike Gansey makes his first appearance as Sixers president of basketball operations during a press conference on Monday.Tom Gralish / Staff Photographer

    When asked further about his major responsibilities in Cleveland, Gansey shared that he “ran the draft,” playing a major role in “player personnel and evaluation.” Since 2022, when he took over as the team’s GM, the Cavaliers have drafted a few key role players. Namely, Cleveland selected guards Jaylon Tyson in 2024 and Tyrese Proctor in 2025, who both contributed to the team’s success this past season. The Sixers have the 22nd pick in this year’s draft. Bob Myers, president of sports for Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment, told reporters that while he did not know Gansey personally before the interview process began, he was more than familiar with his resumé.

    “[Gansey is] a great guy, he’s well-respected,” said Myers, who led the search. “I [did not] know if he’d leave Cleveland, the only place he’s ever been. I think Cleveland’s done a good job, obviously, in the LeBron [James] era and then climbing back up out of that. They made a lot of good decisions.”

    After playing basketball professionally overseas, Gansey’s first role with Cleveland was as a basketball operations seasonal assistant. From there, he willed his way up the organization via the team’s G League affiliate. He served in a multitude of roles with the Cleveland Charge, being named the 2016-17 G League Executive of the Year prior to being named Cavaliers assistant GM the following year.

    “I was there for 15 years, worked my way up: intern to GM, and I give Koby all the credit and the Gilbert family,” Gansey said. “They let me do my thing, I had a ton of responsibilities. Nowadays, when people can be a G League GM, I think that’s a huge stepping stone in their career, and I was able to do that. And it helped me when I became assistant GM all the way to GM.”

    New Sixers president Mike Gansey has a tall task ahead. His former WVU teammates, coach, and even bus driver say he’s ready.

    Gansey said he maintained an “open-door policy,” meaning he was available to anyone in the organization. He noted he built relationships “all the way from our star player to the janitor,” and he hopes to do the same in Philly.

    “We’re going to have alignment throughout the whole building. You know, me and Nick [Nurse] are going to collaborate every day, Jameer [Nelson], Prosper [Karangwa] — our whole staff, all the coaches, players. It’s going to be a great environment to be in Philly. I’m big on having fountains, not drains in the building.”

  • Mike Gansey plans to build around Sixers’ current core while growing the team’s culture: ‘I want fountains, not drains’

    Mike Gansey plans to build around Sixers’ current core while growing the team’s culture: ‘I want fountains, not drains’

    The 76ers need to establish an identity, Bob Myers said Monday.

    That’s the central task ahead of new president of basketball operations Mike Gansey, who will look to bring the Sixers past the second-round hump and build them into a true championship contender.

    When asked if the franchise was committed to Joel Embiid in the long-term, Gansey said that he considers Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, VJ Edgecombe, and Paul George the four tentpoles of the roster in the short-term.

    “We have those four and we’ve got to maximize those four,” Gansey said. “Obviously [Edgecombe] and [Maxey] are younger, but [George] and [Embiid] can still play at a high level. We were 24-14 when Joel played, and obviously in the playoffs, coming back from Boston. We’ve got to rely on those four, and obviously keep them on the floor, and then just build around them.”

    The Sixers were not elite offensively or defensively last season — they ranked in the middle of the league in both offensive (17th) and defensive (16th) rating — and the new leadership group wants to change that.

    Mike Gansey will have one big question to answer as his Sixers tenure begins | David Murphy

    But getting their stars on the floor at the same time is easier said than done. Myers cosigned that to establish a team identity, the Sixers need to have their top four guys, namely Embiid and George, who both missed significant chunks of the last two seasons, all on the floor together.

    “In order to see what we are, we’ve got to be on the floor, right?” said Myers, president of sports for Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment and the head of the search that led to the Sixers hiring Gansey. “You have to have a consistent product on the floor, and maybe that’s not good enough, or maybe it is, but we’ve got to figure out what are we, what can we stand on as a team.”

    Mike Gansey (center) was introduced to the Philadelphia media Monday by managing partner Josh Harris (left) and president of sports for Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment Bob Myers (right).Tom Gralish / Staff Photographer

    Myers referenced Embiid’s comments that the season was “successful” because he felt like he’d worked past the knee issues that hampered him for several years. Embiid has no scheduled surgeries this summer and the Sixers hope he can use the offseason to build instead of recover.

    But Embiid has missed more games than he’s played in his NBA career, partially due to just exceptionally bad injury luck, like last season’s appendectomy, or an orbital fracture or a bout with Bell’s palsy. Embiid has never played 70 games in a season, and hasn’t played more than half the games in a year since his MVP campaign in 2022-23.

    “He’s too important, and we are a top heavy team, right?” Myers said. “That’s just what it is. Look at the contracts. We need those guys to play, and you need depth underneath it. The league has changed, so we need both, but to experience what this team is, we need a healthy roster in training camp.”

    New Sixers president Mike Gansey has a tall task ahead. His former WVU teammates, coach, and even bus driver say he’s ready.

    The other aspect of building a team identity is through the internal culture of the organization. Gansey said explicitly that the Sixers roster is not championship caliber as it stands, but “we’re going to do everything we can to bring in players that fit” in order to build that roster.

    “I want guys that want to be in Philly, first and foremost,” Gansey said of his roster construction philosophy. “… I want fountains, not drains. I want guys with high character, guys with high work ethics, and guys that want to be in Philadelphia.”

    Gansey also said it was “a sticking point” for him to keep Jameer Nelson on and promote him to executive vice president of basketball operations. As a Chester native and former St. Joe’s star, Nelson knows the culture of basketball in the city in a way no one else in the organization does.

    Mike Gansey speaks to the Philadelphia media Monday as his wife Amy and their four children sit in the front row.Tom Gralish / Staff Photographer

    With the draft at the end of the month, Gansey’s first big task will be to add another piece that can hopefully make an impact for the Sixers next year. Gansey did not delve too deeply into his draft philosophy, but said that at No. 22 he would consider both best fit and best player available.

    But it’s not just about getting the pick right. It’s also about what the Sixers do from there. The team has come under scrutiny recently for its struggles in keeping and developing players. This year’s NBA conference finals featured several ex-Sixers, including former draft picks Jared McCain, Landry Shamet, Isaiah Joe, and even Mikal Bridges, though he never suited up for Philly.

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    Now in Philly, Gansey hopes to fix that — starting with some of the players already on the roster.

    “The big part is just internal development, with Tyrese, VJ, and some of our other young guys, like they’ve got to get better too,” Gansey said.

  • ‘Phillies Extra’ Q&A: Larry Bowa on Philly’s 1976 All-Star Game, a Trea Turner rebound, and more

    ‘Phillies Extra’ Q&A: Larry Bowa on Philly’s 1976 All-Star Game, a Trea Turner rebound, and more

    Larry Bowa remembers the roar.

    Fifty years ago, the All-Star Game came to Philadelphia as part of the country’s bicentennial celebration. Bowa was among five Phillies players in the game, and when they were introduced with the National League squad, the ovation shook Veterans Stadium.

    With the Midsummer Classic set to return to town next month, Bowa, 80, joined the Phillies Extra podcast to recall Philly’s baseball summer of ’76, as well as the state of the current Phillies.

    Here are a few excerpts from the conversation with the World Series-winning former Phillies shortstop. Watch the full interview below and subscribe to the Phillies Extra podcast on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.

    Q: When someone brings up the 1976 All-Star Game in Philadelphia, is there a specific moment or memory that comes to mind?

    A: The fact that we played in our own city was unbelievable. The crowd reaction when they introduced all of us is something that you never, ever forget. With the exception of winning the ’80 World Series, that was an incredible moment for me to play in front of your hometown in your ballpark.

    And looking at the cast of characters, the players on both sides — I happened to just check out the roster a couple days ago — and the American League had some good pitchers there. And the thing that stands out in my mind, you have a meeting before — it’s a lot different now, obviously; it’s more of an entertainment thing now. Back then, it was, “Hey, you better win or you’re going to be embarrassed.”

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    I remember Pete Rose. Mark “The Bird” Fidrych was going to pitch against us, and he was on fire. He had one of those years where he’s talking to the ball and doing all that. And three or four of us were sitting around there, and Pete says, “You know what I’m going to do? He’s going to start talking to that ball, I’m gonna hit a base hit up the middle.” … And I knew Pete was a great player, and I said, “Man, if this guy’s that good …” Sure enough, base hit, right up the middle. He’s talking to the ball, and boom. And he looked in the dugout, and he gave me like a little thumbs-up, and I went, this game must be easy for him because to call that against a pitcher that was probably the greatest pitcher at that time in the American League, it was unbelievable.

    Just the reaction of the crowd, especially when they said, “And now from the Phillies,” and they introduced all of us. And if I’m not mistaken, I think there were seven Reds on that team and five Phillie guys, which at that time, those two teams were pretty good. You can throw in the Dodgers, they were really good, too. So, there were three teams there that were well represented in that game.

    Cristopher Sánchez’s streak of scoreless innings ended at 50⅔ on Wednesday, the longest in franchise history.Elizabeth Robertson / Staff Photographer
    Q: Have you ever seen anything like Cristopher Sánchez, just in terms of a transformation or the kind of growth that he’s had?

    A: No, I haven’t. And when I first saw him pitch, the control was a huge issue, and now I’m watching this individual pitch now, and to me, and I know there might be some guys slighted, but he’s the best pitcher in baseball. The outs that he makes other teams get are very soft. As an infielder, as an outfielder, you’re always ready, because he doesn’t walk a lot of guys. He doesn’t run deep counts. His work ethic is off the charts. He’s a very humble individual. Hopefully, this can continue because literally right now we have two No. 1s. I mean, you talk about Sánchez and [Zack] Wheeler, and I still believe in my heart that we’re going to be in the playoffs. I know Atlanta has got a big lead and all that. I’m not even worried about that. But when we get in, and I know we’re going to get in, I wouldn’t want to face this team with the pitching staff that we have, especially in a short series, whether it’s five games, whether it’s seven games.

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    Sánchez is the kind of guy that you wouldn’t know if he won 20 games or if he lost 20 games. You wouldn’t know if he’s losing 8-1 or winning 1-0 . He’s a humble individual. … I wish, and I love Ranger [Suárez], [but] I wish Ranger had a little bit of Sánchez’s work ethic because I think Ranger could have attained the same type of success.

    But Sánchez’s work ethic, I haven’t seen anybody — I should say this, Clayton Kershaw worked like that, and that when I watch Sánchez, I’m thinking of Clayton Kershaw, the work ethic that they put in. Hopefully this thing can continue, because right now, when we take the field and we have Wheeler or Sánchez on the mound, it’s almost like that team in ’72 when [Steve] Carlton took the mound, we knew we were going to win. And I think that’s the feeling right now when those two guys take the take the mound in Philadelphia.

    Trea Turner, the reigning National League batting champion, has struggled for most of the 2026 season.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
    Q: If they could get Trea Turner going at the top of the order in that one or two spot, that would be a huge boost to an offense that could really use it. What do you see from Trea?

    A: I expect him to be where he’s supposed to be at the end of the year. People don’t see the work he puts in. … This guy works harder than anybody out there. I think sometimes he lets his hitting affect when he goes [on the field at shortstop], not as much as he did the first year when he first came over, but when he feels he’s not helping the ballclub offensively, I think it weighs on him a little bit. I think they made a great move hitting him second.

    What if the Phillies’ most impactful addition was a resurgent Trea Turner? He’s working to make it happen.

    I don’t think Trea’s the kind of guy that’s going to work pitchers and all that and look for walks. He’s one of those guys that, once he gets into his groove, I don’t care where you throw him, he’s going to get base hits. And lately he’s been coming on. I expect a good second half … I think he’s going to be fine, but he’s his own worst critic. Believe me, he wants to do well. He knows he’s disappointed the team. It seems like when Trea doesn’t get on — I know we got the big boys in [Kyle Schwarber] and [Bryce Harper] — but when Trea gets on, we’re a very good offensive ballclub. When he’s not, sometimes we have to struggle for runs.

    Nothing against the other guys on the team, but Trea seems to be the guy that ignites us. And them switching the lineup a little bit lately, having Schwarber lead off, I think it might have eased his mind a little bit. But I expect big things from him moving forward, because he’s too good a hitter to be hitting what he’s hitting. To me, he’s the catalyst for our team.