The 76ers knew they were getting a solid all-around player when they drafted Andre Iguodala in the 2004 NBA Draft. But as the season went on, they discovered his skill of flight. It all started sometime in the fall, when Allen Iverson lobbed a pass to Iguodala near the basket, and a nice alley-oop developed.

As time went on, Iverson and the rest of the Sixers realized how good Iguodala was at that. In one game, a pass sailed a good two feet above the rim, seemingly headed out of bounds. But Iguodala rocketed up and got it, and slammed it home with one arm behind the backboard. From there, Iguodala’s dunks just became prettier and prettier, as his teammates just set him up more and more. Air Iguodala began to establish a hub in Philadelphia.

“It’s fun to play with him, because you can just throw up those lobs,” Kyle Korver told the Philadelphia Inquirer. You know that all you have to do is put it up there by the backboard somewhere, and he’ll get it.”

As the years go by, the 2004-05 season could be remembered for many things. It could be remembered for when Iguodala came on the scene in Philadelphia. It could be remembered for the many comebacks the Sixers put together over the season, or for another year of feats performed by Iverson. Maybe it’ll be Korver’s unprecedented three-point proficiency. But whatever it is, 2004-05 was definitely a year full of defining moments.

Billy King and Jim O'Brien met with the media at an introductory press conference on April 21, 2004. Jesse D. Garrabrant /NBAE/Getty Images

It started in April, when the Sixers hired Jim O’Brien to be the 19th head coach in 76ers history. The Philadelphia native came back to his hometown to lead the Sixers, and eventually brought most of his staff with him from his last stop in Boston.

The team’s first move of the O’Brien era was to select Iguodala with the ninth overall pick in the draft. A forward who chose to enter the draft after his sophomore season, Iguodala was labeled by some as having Scottie Pippen-type qualities to his game.

“[Draft day] was a great day for the city of Philadelphia and the 76ers because we were able to get a player in Andre that will fit how we want to play,” King said at Iguodala’s introductory press conference. “We’re excited he was there. We didn’t feel he was going to be there. We were going to try to move up to get him. And this is probably the first time in my eight years that we really liked the player targeted and were able to get him.”

After a week-long training camp at Duke University and a three-week, eight-game preseason schedule during which the team went 6-2, the Sixers started playing for keeps at Boston on Nov. 3. In that game, the Sixers went down by 18 in the third quarter before roaring back for a 98-95 win, giving O’Brien his first Sixers coaching victory against his old team. The erasure of a big deficit would develop as a theme for the Sixers throughout the season – the team erased five more double-digit leads for opposing teams, including another 18-point comeback against Denver on Feb. 14 and a 17-point rally against Indiana on Nov. 12.

That Nov. 12 game also marked the start to another trend that has made a mark on the 2004-05 season – game-winning shots, and big shots in general. There were two in that game – first, in the “big shot” category, Korver sank a three-pointer with 3.7 seconds remaining in regulation to tie the game and send it to overtime. It was in the extra period that Iverson shook free from a defender and made his first-career game-winning shot, a 14-foot jumper at the buzzer that gave the Sixers a 106-104 win.

Iverson shoots the game-winning shot vs. Indiana on Nov. 12. Jesse D. Garrabrant /NBAE/Getty

"It's just a great feeling to hit a shot with no more time left on the clock and they can't do nothing about it," Iverson said after the game. "It's something that never happened for me. I've had the winning free throws, but it's not the same thing as hitting the game-winning shot. I might have hit shots that put us ahead, but just that one right there is a feeling that I can't even express."

Iverson liked the feeling so much that he hit some more game-winners. Two weeks later, on Nov. 26 versus Washington, Iverson stole an inbounds pass at half-court with 3.3 seconds remaining in the game and cruised in uncontested for the game-winning layup and a 116-114 win. On March 25, Iverson did it again, hitting a jumper with 2.4 seconds remaining that gave the Sixers a 103-101 win over Toronto.

Other Sixers players joined the big-shot/game-winning trend over the season as well. Although the Sixers ended up losing 99-95 in overtime at New Orleans on Jan. 28, Korver gave the Sixers a chance to win when he hit a buzzer-beating three-pointer in regulation to force the overtime period. But three days later, Korver made one count – his running jumper with 6.5 seconds left gave the Sixers an 89-88 win over Indiana. Marc Jackson got in on the fun on February 14 when he made a lay-up with 0.7 seconds left for a 106-105 win over the Knicks.

For many players on the Sixers roster, 2004-05 held some experiences that will rank near the top of their career highlights. Take Josh Davis, for instance, who was the MVP of the Continental Basketball Association in 2003-04 and made the Sixers roster out of training camp for this season. Davis was surprised on Nov. 24 when O’Brien gave him a starting nod against the Celtics, but he responded with a career-high 19 points. 13 of those came in the third quarter, including 11 consecutive Sixers points on a trio of three-pointers and two free throws.

Willie Green had several great outings on the occasions where Iverson was out due to illness or injury. When Iverson was out with a left rotator cuff strain in late January, Green stepped up with 32 points in 42 minutes on Jan. 26 at Washington, and also scored 18 points in 39 minutes on Jan. 28 at New Orleans. On Feb. 7, when Iverson was out with the flu, Green led the way for the Sixers with 28 points in 43 minutes of action. Then on April 9 vs. Washington, Green scored 20 points and had nine assists in 38 minutes of a 112-106 win.

Samuel Dalembert continued his development in the tough world of the NBA low post. On January 24 vs. Miami, Dalembert was extremely effective against Shaquille O’Neal, limiting O’Neal to 24 points and five rebounds, while posting 16 points and 11 rebounds himself. It was Dalembert’s second consecutive double-double, coming after a career night in Orlando on Jan. 22 on which he scored a career-high 24 points and yanked down 16 rebounds.

Some of the NBA's best were the victims of Iguodala's thievery. Harry How /NBAE/Getty Images

Iguodala constantly showed throughout the season why the Sixers were intent on bringing him home from the draft. He consistently ranked among the league’s top rookies in every major statistical category. He led all rookies and was eighth overall with 1.68 steals per game, and was the only Sixers player to start every game this season. On March 23, Iguodala posted a triple-double against the defending champion Detroit Pistons with 10 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists, becoming the first rookie to accomplish that feat since Chicago’s Kirk Hinrich did it in February of 2004.

“At this point [in his career], I really don’t think he understands how special that is,” said Aaron McKie after the game. “You can go down the list of great players that took a long time to get a triple-double, but that says a lot about his game. For him to come out here after two years in college and get a triple-double against a great defensive team - it says a lot about him.”

For Korver, 2004-05 was a breakout season. Perhaps the biggest beneficiary of O’Brien’s offensive system, Korver set a new franchise record for three-pointers in a season. He made over 200 three-pointers after only hitting 81 last year. In doing so, his point-per-game average soared from 4.5 ppg his rookie year to over 11 ppg this year.

There were many other accomplishments. John Salmons emerged late in the season as the one to spell Iverson during games. Jackson posted several double-doubles while providing a force in the low post. McKie recovered from an early-season shoulder injury to be a solid contributor off the bench. Kevin Ollie, on his third tour of duty with the Sixers, was a positive influence on the Sixers young nucleus both on the court and in the locker room.

And of course, Iverson added to his list of career achievements. He became just the seventh player in NBA history to score 50 or more points in consecutive games when he drained 54 at Milwaukee on Dec. 18 and then 51 versus Utah on Dec. 20. Not to be outdone, he took the floor on Feb. 12 against Orlando and became the second player in franchise history, joining Wilt Chamberlain, to score 60 points in a game.

“I’ve never witnessed a performance like this in-person,” O’Brien said after the game. “This is the greatest performance that I’ve ever witnessed. I think we are witnessing one of the great careers in the NBA, put on by one of the most talented, tough and big-hearted guys that you’ll ever see on the basketball court.”

Iguodala, Iverson and Korver represented the Sixers well at All-Star Weekend. NBAE/Getty Images

Iverson rode the momentum of that game into the 2005 NBA All-Star Weekend, which he attended with Iguodala and Korver. All three players shined on their respective stages throughout the weekend. In the Rookie Challenge, Iguodala had 11 points, including a highlight-reel dunk, to go along with seven rebounds and four assists for the Rookie team, while Korver scored 21 points on seven three-pointers for the Sophomore team. Korver also took part in the Three-Point Shootout for the second year, finishing second to Phoenix’s Quentin Richardson. Then in the All-Star game, Iverson took the show into his own hands, finishing with 15 points, nine assists and four steals to earn All-Star MVP honors for the second time in his career.

Webber met with the media before his first game with the Sixers, which was against his old teammates from Sacramento. Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE/Getty

It was the week after the All-Star game that the look of the Sixers changed drastically. In a 12-hour period from just before midnight on Feb. 22 to just after noon on Feb. 23, the Sixers made two trades that involved a total of nine players. The more significant of the two deals brought Chris Webber from Sacramento to Philadelphia along with Matt Barnes and Michael Bradley in exchange for Kenny Thomas, Corliss Williamson and Brian Skinner. The second trade sent Glenn Robinson to New Orleans in exchange for Rodney Rogers and Jamal Mashburn, although Mashburn has been on the injured list all season and never came to Philadelphia. Suddenly, in Webber, the Sixers had an All-Star low-post player to complement Iverson, who was at a loss for words when he heard about the deal.

"It didn't seem true," Iverson said after the trade. "I really don't have any words to describe how I feel right now, because I've never been able to play with a player of that caliber. I've been looking forward to something like this for nine years, and for it to finally happen for me, I think my career is really turning the corner."

Throughout the season, the Sixers had many highlights off the court. On several occasions, fans had an opportunity to meet a Sixers player by bringing a donation for charity. The meet-and-greet evenings brought in 1,446 winter coats for Kyle’s Coat Drive, 952 children’s books for Willie’s Book Drive, 843 school supplies for Sammy’s School Supplies Drive, and several hundred hats for Andre’s Caps for Kids. On the nights of their respective evenings, Korver, Green Dalembert and Iguodala each signed hundreds of autographs for fans who supported the efforts.

While the Sixers were able to clinch a playoff spot with one game remaining, they didn't know their playoff fate until late at night on April 20, the last day of the regular season. When Indiana beat Chicago that night, it put the Sixers into the seventh seed and gave them a date with the defending champion Detroit Pistons.

Allen Iverson couldn't quite carry the Sixers to the upset. Allen Einstein /NBAE/Getty Images

After tough losses in Games 1 and 2, many thought the Sixers had no chance but to become the victims of an embarrasing sweep. But the team came back to the Wachovia Center for Game 3 determined to not just step aside while Detroit roared through the first round. The Sixers showed their fans that they could compete against the Pistons, winning Game 3 115-104.

“We got it done," Iverson said. "We came out and we fought. That’s a great basketball team, cause I’m talking about our defensive effort, and they shot 50 percent for the game. So that tells you how tough it is to beat them. You stop a team, and they’re shooting 50 percent, and (you) win a basketball game. That says a lot about what we did on the offensive end as well. We didn’t just play defense, we played offense, too.”

The win put the Sixers in a position to tie the series with a victory in Game 4, and were just a free throw away from doing just that. The Sixers were up nine points with just over six minutes to play, but a furious Pistons rally ended up sending the game to overtime. Detroit was able to pull away in the extra session for a 97-92 win, and took that momentum back to the Motor City for Game 5. Despite leading after three quarters, the Sixers could once again not hold off a late Pistons rally, and Detroit closed out the series with an 88-78 win on May 3.

Although disappointed that his season was over, Iverson was upbeat about how the season went.

The Sixers met on May 4 to wrap up the season and clean out their lockers. Sixers Photos

“I feel like doing it again," he said. "I feel like going through it all over again. First, I just want to thank my family and friends and everybody that has helped this whole season. Throughout the playoffs, everything, the ups and downs. The true Philadelphia fans that stayed with us from the beginning and never jumped off the bandwagon or jumped on it when we were doing good. I also want to thank my teammates, coaching staff and fans of Philadelphia.”

The next day, the Sixers gathered for a final team meeting. While nobody was happy with losing in the first round, the players and front office personnel on hand were optimistic about the future.

"I think Chris Webber getting healthier in the summer, we’re going to be a monster on the boards," Dalembert said. "He proved it before he came here. He averaged almost 10 rebounds a game. With him, hopefully he’ll get well, and I know he’s going to be doing it because we talk about it. We’re probably going to be working out together during the summer. He’s gonna be ready to come out there next year, hopefully."

What comes of that optimism will ultimately determine where the 2004-05 season lands in Sixers history. The further development of the team's young talent and the acquisition of Webber could make it a significant season that launches a run at a championship in the next few years. However, the things that Iverson did, the records that Korver set, and the impressions that Iguodala made cannot be taken away. Those will make the 2004-05 season one to remember.