Pat Croce Recalls Feeling of Winning 1996 NBA Draft Lottery

Former Sixers president Pat Croce knows a thing or two about the feeling of winning the NBA Draft Lottery.

After all, he represented the Sixers in person at the lottery 20 years ago when they punched their ticket to select a Georgetown star named Allen Iverson with the first overall pick.

Croce famously reacted to the news by getting up and slapping hands with all the other teams' representatives in sight.

"[It] was just spontaneous," he said in an interview with Comcast SportsNet's Jen Daniels. "Mine was combustible energy. I'm a little high-energy anyway, but I think that was pent up for all Philadelphians."

Brett Brown will represent the Sixers at the lottery Tuesday in New York. While known for being a pretty good quote, Brown certainly has a more subdued personality than Croce, who expects the head coach to take the news with humility if the Sixers' league-best 26.9 percent odds to win the lottery do indeed pay off.

"I think Coach Brown will present himself perfectly in the moment," Croce said.

Many Sixers fans will be gripping their good-luck charms. Croce had a suggestion for one Brown can bring to New York with him.

"Would they miss the Liberty Bell if he borrowed it? Put another crack in it when he wins it."