Sixers’ Trey Burke Is Prepared for Philadelphia’s Intensity

PHILADELPHIA (973espn.com) -- Playing for any of the four major sports teams in the city of Philadelphia is a tough task for any athlete. A player could have the home crowd on their side one moment, then lose it the next with a simple mistake.

Being a superstar will go a long in Philadelphia, but some players come to find out that it's not all about putting on a show and consistently producing at a high level in Philly. Not-so-prominent players have found that out fist-hand. Guys like T.J. McConnell and more recently, Mike Scott have won over Sixers fans during their time here, and it didn't take dropping 30 points a night to make that happen.

Sure, Philadelphia loves a good player, but they love a hard worker even more. A Ben Simmons slam dunk gets the crowd going, but when McConnell used to dive for the ball, he got the crowd off of his feet. And remember the time Mike Scott defended one of his teammates by firing the ball back at someone who threw it at Joel Embiid? Scott's reaction to that moment has created a cult fan base that's everlasting in Philly.

Basically, the point here is that players who come to Philly should understand that it's tough to feel the Brotherly Love, but some do not realize that there are tons of ways to make it happen. New Sixers' guard Trey Burke is understanding that early on as he gets prepared to suit up in Philly for the first time this season.

The former first-round pick got his start with the Utah Jazz back in 2013. After three average seasons, Burke bounced around on three different teams before eventually landing back on the free agency market this past offseason. And as the Sixers were looking to improve their bench on a budget, they figured the former Michigan standout could come in and help create an immediate impact.

Convincing Burke to sign in Philly wasn't hard considering he's quite fond of the organization already. As he's mentioned before, Burke has grown up idolizing Sixers legend, Allen Iverson. As a guard himself, Burke tends to try and play with the same intensity as A.I. used to every night at the Wells Fargo Center.

Now, Burke has the opportunity to try and flash the same energy, in the same uniform, at the same arena. But first, he has to earn his spot. It won't be easy for Burke, but he has the tools to compete and make a difference on the Sixers. And if he can truly give the 76ers some much-improved shooting off of the bench, he will have the opportunity to create some hype of his own within the intense sports market of Philadelphia.

“Philadelphia I hear is a different breed when it comes to sports and their fans and the love that they have for their sports teams, I’m ready to get to work," Burke said, according to Sixers Wire's Ky Carlin. Clearly, the guard has high hopes for his stint with the Sixers.

As he believes he's "built for a Philly type of city," the veteran guard is embracing the ups and downs that may come with the 2019-2020 Sixers' season. With expectations riding high on them within the Eastern Conference, the veteran guard is getting ready to prepare for an intense offseason in order to meet the expectations of Philly fans from all over.