Basketball has a rich tradition in the Philadelphia area. While you have the big five D1 schools and of course the professional 76ers, many fans take all the games seriously.

Many current generations may recognize the name Melchionni as the last name of a guard for the Duke Blue Devils in the mid-2000s. Uncle Bill Melchionni, however, is the legend of Philadelphia basketball.

Melchionni first became a star player for the Bishop Eustace Prep team in a Philadelphia suburb. He was one of the best prep players at the time and considered the best in the area. After being recruited by many schools up and down the East Coast, he settled in with local Villanova.

While at Villanova, he was a fan favorite. He would be one of the stars in the college game, winning the Robert V. Geasey trophy for his efforts. Villanova also achieved success, such as winning the 1966 NIT championship (Melchionni would be named MVP).

The Philadelphia 76ers showed interest in Melchionni by selecting him in the 1966 NBA draft. He played one season with the famed Philadelphia 66ers AAU team before reporting to the 76ers.

While in Philadelphia, he was a key reserve for the 1967 NBA Champion 76ers. He was a talented young player who provided them with a spark off the bench. He was referred to the big stars like Wilt Chamberlain, Hal Greer and Chet Walker.

However, Melchionni expected greener pastures, and that came when the ABA New Jersey Nets called. He performed alongside NBA Hall of Famers Rick Barry and Julius Erving during that time. He was one of the best assistants in the ABA and was recognized as an All-Star on three separate occasions.

Towards the end of his career, he helped the Nets win the 1974 ABA title, becoming one of the few to win both an ABA and NBA title. Due to his integral part in the early years of the Nets, his number 25 was retired by the team (Villanova would later honor him in the same way).

He may not have been the most athletically gifted athlete to come out of Philadelphia, but Bill Melchionni will long be remembered in the City of Brotherly Love.