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Underrepresented. That's what the young adults of America are. Tired of hearing about your Philadelphia 76ers in the traditional format? Generation NEXT gives you a perspective of Philly basketball from the voice of America's youth. by Jeff Wilson

After getting banged around in the Playoffs, Iverson said feels that he needs to get stronger in the off season.

A True Champion …
Say what you will about Allen Iverson, but it’s obvious that he has a strong desire to earn that elusive ring. After the loss, Iverson spoke from the heart about the disappointment of not winning the championship.

“I feel bad, obviously, because this is another season gone by and my dream didn’t come true,” he said just minutes after the season-ending defeat. “There are just a lot of things that I understand that I have to do to get better plus to have a chance to win a championship.”

A.I. caught a lot of flack for his 6:58 arrival time for Game 6 (a 7:30 tip), but he responded by hitting five of his first six shots. Though the Sixers could not pull out the win in the end, don’t forget that it was Iverson who scored six unanswered points in overtime to tie the game back up at 89-89.

After seven years in the league, Iverson realizes how tough the task or rising to the top can be.

“I am just going to put that pressure on myself in the offseason to try to do a little bit more than I have been doing,” Iverson said. “Mainly, just trying to get stronger. At times – I didn’t feel that I was getting tired – but I was kind of weaker than I usually am. So much attention is focused on me as far as guys banging me all through the game. I feel like I need to get a little bigger and a little stronger.”

Can you imagine a bigger, stronger, faster Allen Iverson? Wow.

Staying or Going, Part I …
Once again, attention is focused on Sixers Head Coach Larry Brown. At 62 years old, many feel Brown may be reaching the end of his Hall-of-Fame career. Brown himself alluded to the fact that he may not be far from calling it quits.

“I’m going to sit back and walk away a little bit and think about it,” Brown said. “I’ve got to find out if I feel I can make this team any better by me staying here. I don’t want to hold us back.”

I’m not convinced he’s ready to hang it up just yet. Brown has been known for needing some time off to rejuvenate, especially after a trying season like this. But what Brown brings to the Sixers, few others can match. He instills a sense of never-say-die resiliency in a team from a city of fighters.

“No matter of the outcome, we are never going to quit. We are never going to lie down for anyone,” Derrick Coleman said upon the conclusion of the 76ers season. “It all starts from the character of our coach.”

After losing starting center Todd MacCulloch and preseason favorite to start at small forward Monty Williams for most of the season to injuries and a early season collapse that saw the Sixers hobble into the All-Star break with a 25-24 record, the 76ers – and Brown – persevered. After winning back-to-back Coach of the Month honors, the 76ers were in the race for the top spot in the East until the final week of the season. By the end of the playoffs, no deficit seemed too large for the Sixers to overcome.

Unfortunately, this season did not end the way Brown would have hoped. The Sixers were a lot better off than they could have been, though. Larry Brown still can help the team out a great deal, and I think he still has the necessary passion within him to do so.

Staying or Going, Part II …
For all the grief that he’s taken over the years, Derrick Coleman proved to be one of the most valuable 76ers this season. He valiantly stepped in for Todd MacCulloch and – playing out of position at center – played as well as almost any other big man in the East. He turned it up yet another notch in the playoffs, averaging 16.5 points and 11.0 boards per game against two-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year Ben Wallace.

Will he return to the 76ers for the 2003-04 campaign? If he plays like he did in the second half of this season, he is, even at 36 years old, probably the best option for the Sixers. Furthermore, other teams will shy away from the aging, injury-prone former No. 1 overall draft pick with the baggage he carries.

Philadelphia might be the best fit for Coleman. He hasn’t been the easiest player for coaches to get along with, but thrives when playing in a situation where there is mutual respect. To this day, he remains close to Jim Boeheim, his coach at Syracuse. His production in Central New York was good enough to earn him the top-billing in the 1990 Draft. Clearly, he has that same type of relationship with Larry Brown. Both player and coach have publicly stated their admiration for one another. A focused D.C. could be a very important factor in the Sixers quest for a return trip to the NBA Finals in the near future.

Jeff Wilson is a 21-year-old sports and recreation management major at Temple University. The Oneida, NY, native is spending this semester interning with the 76ers Public Relations Department. Jeff also has experience working with the athletic departments at Syracuse University and Temple University.