Getty Rapper Lil Baby performs at the 2020 American Music Awards.
Tuesday night was a particularly good night for the Philadelphia 76ers. However, it was less so for Atlanta, Georgia-based rapper Lil Baby — he of “Drip Too Hard” fame — who was courtside at Wells Fargo Center as his hometown Hawks got crushed in Game 2 of the teams’ second-round series, 118-102.
As if sitting idly by while Sixers super-sub Shake Milton almost singlehandedly turned the contest into a laugher hadn’t been enough, though, the multi-platinum recording artist also had a rude introduction to Philly’s most famous superfan.
And fellow rapper/North Philly native Meek Mill was there to egg it all on and record/share the funny exchange.
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Alan Horowitz: “Sixers are Gonna Kick Your Ass”
In the video, which went viral in short order, Meek could be heard asking a fan seated near he and Lil Baby which team was going to win the contest. He also made sure to point out that he joined the fan in supporting the Sixers, while Lil Baby was rolling with the Hawks. And Lil Baby was echoing the sentiment.
That fan was none other than businessman and real estate mogul Alan Horowitz, a.k.a. the “76ers Sixth Man.” Horowitz is one of the Sixers’ most ardent and visible supporters, well-known in Philly for courtside and getting rowdy at all of the team’s home games.
He is always easily identified — the 77-year-old attends games in his No. 76 Sixers jerseys with “SIXTH MAN” emblazoned on their backs and a Sixers baseball cap.
So, naturally, he didn’t mince words when tendering his response to Meek’s question.
“Sixers are gonna kick your ass!” he replied vociferously, much to Meek’s delight.
Despite the notoriety of all parties involved, some outlets missed the mark on Horowitz specifically. In its own sharing of the video clip via Twitter, Bleacher Report identified Horowitz as “This 76ers fan.” B/R was taken to task in short order by a number of respondents.
Moreover, Horowitz himself fired a playful jab at the outlet with the following response tweet:
Horowitz’s Fandom Goes Back Decades
Horowitz isn’t some Johnny-Come-Lately or big wig with no basketball sense. He’s been a Sixers fixture for multiple decades. As relayed by Heavy in 2019, the Sixers’ Sixth Man has been a season ticket holder for well over 40 years. And his support for the team dates back to the 1960s.
In other words, he’s seen it all in the City of Brotherly Love — from AI and The Process to Sir Charles, Dr. J and Wilt the Stilt.
This isn’t the first time he’s gone viral, either. During the 2019 NBA Playoffs, he famously mixed it up with Toronto Raptors superfan Drake, as well as point guard Kyle Lowry. At one point, the latter lobbied officials to have Horowitz removed from a game, as relayed via Twitter by Sports Illustrated.
He also famously tussled with Avery Bradley, then of the Boston Celtics, during the 2012 postseason.
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