Getty Jalen Hurts #1 of the Philadelphia Eagles.
The Philadelphia 76ers still have a month left to go before the season starts. But that doesn’t mean the city is devoid of explosive plays until James Harden is sending up alley-oops to Joel Embiid.
On Monday night, the Philadelphia Eagles hosted the Minnesota Vikings during a Week 2 NFL showdown. But the game was largely over by halftime; Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts had over 300 yards by the mid-game break. And Philadelphia showed out, including movie star Bradley Cooper, reigning NL MVP and Phillies star Bryce Harper, and Sixers star James Harden.
After the game, Hurts talked about what it meant to have support from the Philadelphia royalty, including from Harden.
“That’s what Philly is all about,” Hurts said. “It’s a winning culture.”
“That’s what Philly is all about”
“It’s a winning culture”
-Jalen Hurts said it was fun having James Harden and Bryce Harper at the Linc tonight. He says he supports the other teams as well
After the game, Hurts jogged into the home team’s tunnel to see Harden chatting it up with Eagles cornerback Darius Slay. Slay was no slouch Monday night, either, hauling in two interceptions and locking down Vikings star receiver Justin Jefferson. And Hurts made sure he dapped up Harden before hitting the shows.
Jalen Hurts told me having guys like @JHarden13 and @bryceharper3 here, “that’s PHILLY. That’s what Philly’s all about” #FlyEaglesFly
Hurts is right about Philadelphia athletes showing out for the local teams. In fact, Harden isn’t the first Sixer to show out for another Philadelphia team this summer.
Maxey Goes on Philadelphia Sports Tour to See Phillies and Union
Earlier in the summer, Sixers star Tyrese Maxey took in a Phillies game at Citizen’s Bank Park. At one point, the Phillies broadcast team made it out to the stands to discuss his rapid rise with the Sixers. Of course, the ever-jovial John Kruk also had to take a moment to poke fun at Maxey’s teammate Joel Embiid. Maxey took the bait and the two shared a laugh:
Maxey: Him (Embiid) walking up on me, I’m like, ‘Man, I forgot how tall you were.’
Kruk: Still ugly, though, isn’t he?
Maxey: Very.
Kruk: There’s a reason he has to wear the mask. I’m just saying.
Maxey: Exactly. It’s not for a broken face.
Maxey was an equal-opportunity jokester, however. When Kruk turned the jokes on Maxey, the former Kentucky Wildcat took it all in stride.
Kruk: What are you, 23?
Maxey: I’m 21.
Kruk: 21? I believe the drawers I’m wearing are older than that. So you can drink now?
Maxey: Yeah, but I try to stay away from alcohol.
Kruk: That’s all right. I’ll have them for you. But I ain’t got to play, I just watch.
A few days later, Maxey was spotted at a Philadelphia Union soccer match. It was his first time to see the Union, and he was given the honors of banging the team’s victory drum before the game.
Tyrese Maxey making an appearance at the Union Game ⚽️ #sixers
It’s apparent that Maxey has what it takes to be a Philadelphia athlete for years to come. But not everyone can say the same. In fact, Sixers GM Daryl Morey recently explained the type of mentality one has to have in order to survive in the City of Brotherly Love.
Sixers GM Appears to Take Shot at Ben Simmons
Morey appeared on The Take Off with John Clark last week to discuss the Sixers’ busy summer and expectations this season. And Morey also took a moment to explain why Philadelphia is a different place to play and how the city isn’t suited for every player.
“And I never understood this, being in Houston when people would say, ‘Oh, you need to have a special mindset to play in Philly. You need to have a special mindset to play in, maybe, New York.’ Although I think that’s less true. Honestly, I can only speak to Philadelphia because I’ve been here now. I do think, I really do pay attention to the mindset of the players. Can they handle playing in Philadelphia? Because I do think it’s a different thing,” Morey said.
By the sound of it, Morey was taking the moment to call out former Sixers star Ben Simmons. Simmons never truly grew to adopt Philadelphia as his home and fans often called out the former top pick for his apparent lack of interest. The growing feud should make for excellent television as the Sixers take on the Brooklyn Nets, Simmons’ new team, in just a few weeks during the preseason.