Sixers Finally Admit They Killed Rabbit Mascot Hip-Hop

Thanks to The 700 Level’s Nick Menta for watching the last Sixers home game of the season and getting important mascot news: The 76ers are promising fans the team will have a mascot next year! Sixers CEO Scott O’Neil says the team is considering “five or six designs.”

Yes, after several years without a mascot, the team will be adding one sometime next season. Or maybe even before! O’Neil added that finding a mascot is a challenging endeavor. The Sixers have an uphill battle: There’s no “easy” solution as the team name is more of an abstract concept — or, really, just a clever-sounding name — rather than a person. I wish him the best.

But, there’s more! O’Neil also added this key fact:

“Sadly, Hip Hop is dead and buried and will not be coming back.”

As Menta notes, the “official story” was that Hip-Hop started a family in rural Pennsylvania with a ladybunny he’d fallen in love with. It’s good the Sixers finally admitted the truth, though they should probably now direct us to the body.

No word on when the Sixers’ new mascot will debut, but in reality they should give the fans what they want and bring out Phil E. Moose opening night.

From 2011, coverage of the mascot’s final days and his untimely demise. Also, a Sixers mascot voting guide.