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Harriton’s Own Royalty: Kapono’s Kings

Harritons Own Royalty: Kaponos Kings

For every Friday night home game, several seniors trek across the Expressway to cheer on their favorite Philadelphia 76ers player, Jason Kapono. Crowns atop each one of their heads, Kapono’s Kings have become a staple of 76ers home games.
The seeds of the group were planted during the summer. Chris Orsinger, a founding member of the group, was talking with another founding member, Daniel Lourie about the Sixers’ acquisition of Jason Kapono from the Toronto Raptors. “I was talking to Dan,” Chris said, “and I was excited because the Sixers’ needed a three-point specialist. At the same time, I discussed with him my desire to create a fan group, similar to the ‘Wolf Pack’ or ‘Howard’s Homies’ (for former Phillie Randy Wolf and current first basemen Ryan Howard, respectively). I thought that Kapono would become the new face of the Sixers so I decided to make a group for him. I wanted a name with an alliterative title. I first thought Kapono’s Kids, but that was too childish. I randomly came up with Kapono’s Kings, and that was what we decided on.”
Thanks to the crafty work of Matt Brotman, iron-ons were created depicting Kapono with a golden crown on his head. The shirts were printed and handed out to several of the members of the group: seniors Daniel Lourie, Jacob Neville, Steve Kaye, Chris Orsinger, Daniel Cooke, and Matt Brotman. The group decided to go to every Friday home game that the Sixers played. The team ventured to Broad Street during early November and has been found in the third row of the Wachovia Center ever since.
During the first game the group attended, Kapono waved from the bench to the stands, acknowledging the group and thanking them for their presence in the half empty stadium (the Sixers currently rank 29th out of 30 NBA teams in attendance). People in the crowd looked inquisitively at the group, most likely wondering why there were six teenaged boys dressed in crowns bowing towards the court. Pictures of the group hit the Sixers’ team Flickr page following the game and the picture was then used in an article on a local sports blog, the700level. The following week, the members of the group began receiving “shout-outs” while walking through the Wachovia Center concourse. People were beginning to take notice.
“The second night was the greatest [game we went to],” Daniel Cooke told me. Chris Orsinger added, “We were on the Jumbotron countless times during the game. Eventually, at halftime we noticed Kapono pointing at us from the opposite end of the court. Five minutes later, an attendant from the Sixers brought us three pairs of Adidas sneakers, courtesy of Kapono. Following the game, we got to meet him in the parking lot. It was incredible.”
Not only are they becoming the major fan group of the 76ers, Kapono’s Kings are also becoming an important part of the Sixers experience. Countless fan pages and basketball forums reference the six Harriton High School seniors. People yell “Kapono’s Kings” when they walk by at the game. The Sixers’ staff even calls upon the Kings, as they were asked to take part in a competition on the floor at halftime of a game. Daniel Lourie, along with Daniel Cooke, took part in a half court-shooting contest. “They chose us out of [the thousands of people attending],” Lourie told me. The PA announcer, while announcing the contestants, even mentioned that Lourie was a member of the fan group.
The Philadelphia 76ers are not a very good team currently, as their record as of press time is eleven games under .500. However, with fan support, the players could become more motivated. Jacob Neville said that there is more to the group than simply providing fan support, “My awesome experience with Kapono’s Kings really defines what your senior year is all about: enjoying the last year of your high school life with your best friends.”

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