Former Philadelphia 76ers president of basketball operations Bryan Colangelo just landed a new gig, joining Italian professional club BC Roma as an advisor. Yeah, you read that right. The man who orchestrated some of the most head-scratching moves in recent NBA history is back in the game, joining an advisory board that includes two-time NBA Executive of the Year Chris Mullin and ex-Spanish NT coach Sergio Scariolo. It’s a new chapter for Colangelo, but for any Sixers fan with a long memory, this news probably sends a chill down your spine.
The “Executive of the Year” Meets the Draft Day Disasters
Let’s be real, Colangelo’s official intro always leads with “two-time NBA Executive of the Year.” It’s a shiny credential, but it barely covers up the “other stuff” that comes to mind when you hear his name. This move to Italy isn’t completely out of left field, though. Colangelo has an infamous connection to the country. Remember his time as the lead executive for the Toronto Raptors? He famously selected Italian Andrea Bargnani with the first overall pick in the 2006 NBA Draft. First overall! While Bargnani had some moments, he’s no seven-time All-Star LaMarcus Aldridge, who went second overall to Chicago and then Portland. That’s a pick that still stings for Raptors fans, and it was just a preview of the chaos to come.
The Philly Years: Fultz, Maxey, and a Comedy of Errors
The real pain, though, comes from Colangelo’s tenure with the Sixers. Philadelphia fans know all too well that poor decisions with the first overall pick weren’t limited to Toronto. In 2017, he traded up with Boston to select Markelle Fultz first overall, while the Celtics, with Danny Ainge probably laughing all the way to the bank, took Jayson Tatum with the third overall pick. You literally swapped a future superstar for… well, you know. And then there’s the unbelievable saga of the Tyrese Maxey pick, a series of trades that, without some serious divine intervention and smart people cleaning up messes, would have robbed the Sixers of a cornerstone player.
Back in 2016, Colangelo traded Jerami Grant and a top-20 protected 2020 first-round pick to Oklahoma City for Ersan Ilyasova. Standard stuff, maybe. But then, in 2017, Colangelo traded *that very same* top-20 protected pick away again to draft Anzejs Pasecniks 25th overall! Pasecniks played a grand total of 28 career NBA games, all for the Wizards. Think about that. The Sixers could have drafted Derrick White or local favorite Josh Hart. Luckily, in 2019, Elton Brand, the unsung hero, got that Thunder pick back by trading Fultz to Orlando, cleaning up two massive Colangelo blunders in one fell swoop and ensuring Maxey eventually landed in Philadelphia. Brand deserves way more credit for navigating that disaster.
So, Colangelo is advising an Italian club now. You can bet fans in Philly are just shaking their heads, wondering what kind of “advice” he’ll be dishing out. Let’s just hope BC Roma has a solid cleanup crew ready, just in case history decides to repeat itself.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Liberty Ballers.
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