When Sixers forward P.J. Tucker thinks about his time playing in Ukraine over a decade ago, he can’t help but think of the fate of those he knew there. How some were forced to flee in the face of the Russian invasion 14 months ago, and how at least one former teammate has stayed to fight in the ongoing conflict.
But he also can’t help but think about the beforetimes – about things that were mundane, even amusing. About how he hated the food and the weather, and struggled with the language barrier. About his bemusement over a particular incident, which saw a duffel bag full of cash tossed in the middle of his team’s locker room to incentivize one and all.