GOOD NEWS: Theo Ratliff had the most memorable season of his career while playing for the Philadelphia 76ers.

Theo experienced a great quantity of highs and lows in a single

For as long as ardent  76ers supporters can recall, Allen Iverson’s legendary NBA career peaked in 2000–01. It was also the year that Theo Ratliff, Philly’s defensive stalwart, had his most memorable 50 games of the season—a fact that some may have missed.

The Sixers emerged as a legitimate title contender with AI and Ratliff leading them on both ends, and Iverson was the deserving MVP at the end of the campaign. However, Ratliff’s chances of earning Defensive Player of the Year were eventually weakened by a hand injury that sidetracked him. Worse, Philly traded him as a result of it. Theo could only hope he was a member of the Sixers team that went on to contend for the NBA championship.

“The 2000–01 Philadelphia season. We started the season as the best team in the league, so it was kind of bittersweet because that was also the year I was traded. At the time, we had the greatest record in the NBA. I achieved All-Star status.

Ratliff finished his injury-shortened All-Star season with 3.7 blocks per game, making him the league’s most effective shotblocker that season. However, Theo had already joined the Atlanta Hawks by the time the Sixers launched an overwhelming challenge for the championship.

Ratliff is still beaming when he remembers his last season with the Sixers, even though he ended it with a different club and no individual trophy.