Claim: Moses Malone was on an NBA team.

The Philadelphia 76ers -LRB- also commonly known as the Sixers -RRB- are an American professional basketball team based in the Philadelphia metropolitan area . The 76ers compete in the National Basketball Association -LRB- NBA -RRB- as a member of the league 's Eastern Conference Atlantic Division . Founded in 1946 and originally known as the Syracuse Nationals , they are one of the oldest franchises in the NBA , and one of only eight -LRB- out of 23 -RRB- to survive the league 's first decade .   The 76ers have had a rich history , with many of the greatest players in NBA history having played for the organization , including Wilt Chamberlain , Hal Greer , Billy Cunningham , Julius Erving , Moses Malone , Charles Barkley , and Allen Iverson . They have won three NBA championships , with their first coming as the Syracuse Nationals in 1955 . The second title came in the 1966 -- 67 season , a team which was led by Chamberlain . The third title came in the 1982 -- 83 season , won by a team led by Erving and Malone . The 76ers have only been back to the NBA Finals once since then : in 2001 , when they lost to the Los Angeles Lakers 4 games to 1 .