Maurice Cheeks

Maurice “Mo” Cheeks was seldom the flashiest player on the court, but his steady, all-around game proved invaluable to the teammates and coaches who appreciate team play and defense the most. A consummate professional, Cheeks always put the team first, evidenced by the fact that he led his team in assists all four years of high school and later in college, at West Texas State. Cheeks was selected by the Philadelphia 76ers in the 1978 NBA Draft, where he would play 11 of his 15 seasons in the NBA. The five-time NBA All-Defensive selection was a key member of the Sixers 1983 NBA championship team. He was a prototypical point guard, making life miserable for the opponent on one end and working tirelessly to set up his teammates on the other. The four-time NBA All-Star finished his career as the league’s all-time leader in steals and ranked fifth in assists, all while shooting better than 52 percent from the floor. A fan favorite in the City of Brotherly Love, the unselfish guard was honored as one of only seven former Sixers players to have his number retired.