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# Lessons from Sam Hinkie
- URL: https://www.antoinebuteau.com/lessons-from-sam-hinkie/
- Published: 2025-10-19T21:16:03.000Z
- Updated: 2026-09-05T03:20:50.000Z
- Description: Sam Hinkie, former general manager of the Philadelphia 76ers, made “The Process” a controversial case study in radical, long-term team building, probabilistic decisions, and organizational change, raising enduring questions about patience, uncertainty, and strategic conviction.
- Author: Antoine Buteau
- Tags: Profile, Strategy, Business Leaders & Executives Profiles

Sam Hinkie is the former General Manager of the Philadelphia 76ers, known for his radical, long-term team-building strategy often called "The Process." His approach, though controversial, has become a case study in strategic thinking, probabilistic decision-making, and organizational change.

![Infographic for "Lessons from Sam Hinkie".](https://www.antoinebuteau.com/content/images/2026/07/lessons-from-sam-hinkie-optimized.webp)

## On Process and Long-Term Thinking

1. **"A league with 30 intense competitors requires a culture of finding new, better ways to solve problems."**([Source: Sam Hinkie's Resignation Letter](https://www.google.com/url?sa=E&q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.espn.com%2Fnba%2Fstory%2F%5F%2Fid%2F15152525%2Ffull-text-sam-hinkie-resignation-letter&ref=antoinebuteau.com))
2. **"A core tenet of our trading strategy has been to acquire optionality."** ([Source: Sam Hinkie's Resignation Letter](https://www.google.com/url?sa=E&q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.espn.com%2Fnba%2Fstory%2F%5F%2Fid%2F15152525%2Ffull-text-sam-hinkie-resignation-letter&ref=antoinebuteau.com))
3. **"The goal is not to be the 8th seed. The goal is to win a championship."** (A widely summarized distillation of his philosophy, articulated in various interviews and embodied by his actions). ([Source Context: The Ringer](https://www.google.com/url?sa=E&q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theringer.com%2F2018%2F10%2F17%2F17986756%2Fthe-process-philadelphia-76ers-sam-hinkie-joel-embiid-ben-simmons&ref=antoinebuteau.com))
4. **"We're playing a long game. We're not going to take shortcuts."** (A common refrain during his tenure, reflecting the core of his strategy). ([Source Context: Sports Illustrated](https://www.google.com/url?sa=E&q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.si.com%2Fnba%2F2015%2F03%2F04%2Fphiladelphia-76ers-sam-hinkie-analytics-rebuilding-nba&ref=antoinebuteau.com))
5. **"Having a long-term view is a competitive advantage in a world that is overwhelmingly short-term focused."**(A central theme from his public talks on decision-making). ([Source: Sam Hinkie at the 2016 MIT Sloan Sports Analytics Conference](https://www.google.com/url?sa=E&q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DPfJqu3W-aA8&ref=antoinebuteau.com))
6. **"In the short term, you can be right for the wrong reasons. In the long term, the process will win out."** (A paraphrasing of his belief in process over outcomes, a key theme in his letter). ([Source Context: Sam Hinkie's Resignation Letter](https://www.google.com/url?sa=E&q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.espn.com%2Fnba%2Fstory%2F%5F%2Fid%2F15152525%2Ffull-text-sam-hinkie-resignation-letter&ref=antoinebuteau.com))
7. **"Trust The Process."** (While Hinkie embodied the phrase, it was famously coined by then-76ers player Tony Wroten. Hinkie later embraced it). ([Source: ESPN](https://www.google.com/url?sa=E&q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.espn.com%2Fnba%2Fstory%2F%5F%2Fid%2F14294436%2Fthe-story-trust-process&ref=antoinebuteau.com))
8. **"The illusion of control is an opiate, though. It can be dangerously addictive."** ([Source: Sam Hinkie's Resignation Letter](https://www.google.com/url?sa=E&q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.espn.com%2Fnba%2Fstory%2F%5F%2Fid%2F15152525%2Ffull-text-sam-hinkie-resignation-letter&ref=antoinebuteau.com))
9. **"It’s important to be patient, but not too patient."** (A concept he discussed when explaining the need to know when to pivot from asset accumulation to building a team). ([Source Context: PandoDaily Fireside Chat](https://www.google.com/url?sa=E&q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DcIyS1z%5FT4jU&ref=antoinebuteau.com))
10. **"You have to be willing to be misunderstood for long periods of time."** (A key learning often attributed to Jeff Bezos, which Hinkie included in his resignation letter as a guiding principle). ([Source: Sam Hinkie's Resignation Letter](https://www.google.com/url?sa=E&q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.espn.com%2Fnba%2Fstory%2F%5F%2Fid%2F15152525%2Ffull-text-sam-hinkie-resignation-letter&ref=antoinebuteau.com))

## On Decision-Making and Uncertainty

1. **"The most important thing is to have a framework for making decisions."** (A foundational concept from his talks on strategic thinking). ([Source: Sam Hinkie at the 2016 MIT Sloan Sports Analytics Conference](https://www.google.com/url?sa=E&q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DPfJqu3W-aA8&ref=antoinebuteau.com))
2. **"We should be in the business of making the best possible decision, not the most popular one."** (The core philosophy that drove his often-unpopular trades and draft strategies). ([Source Context: Sports Illustrated](https://www.google.com/url?sa=E&q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.si.com%2Fnba%2F2015%2F03%2F04%2Fphiladelphia-76ers-sam-hinkie-analytics-rebuilding-nba&ref=antoinebuteau.com))
3. **"A Bayesian approach to decision-making is a core part of our philosophy."** (He frequently referenced Bayesian inference, the idea of updating your beliefs as new evidence comes in). ([Source: Sam Hinkie's Resignation Letter](https://www.google.com/url?sa=E&q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.espn.com%2Fnba%2Fstory%2F%5F%2Fid%2F15152525%2Ffull-text-sam-hinkie-resignation-letter&ref=antoinebuteau.com))
4. **"You can't be certain. You have to be comfortable with uncertainty."** (A central theme in his discussions about drafting and forecasting player potential). ([Source: Sam Hinkie at the 2016 MIT Sloan Sports Analytics Conference](https://www.google.com/url?sa=E&q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DPfJqu3W-aA8&ref=antoinebuteau.com))
5. **"Thinking probabilistically is a muscle. You have to build it."** (A concept he has discussed in various talks about improving decision-making). ([Source Context: PandoDaily Fireside Chat](https://www.google.com/url?sa=E&q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DcIyS1z%5FT4jU&ref=antoinebuteau.com))
6. **"Avoiding bad decisions is just as important as making good ones."** (His strategy of trading players for future assets was often about avoiding bad contracts or losing players for nothing in free agency). ([Source Context: The Ringer](https://www.google.com/url?sa=E&q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theringer.com%2F2018%2F10%2F17%2F17986756%2Fthe-process-philadelphia-76ers-sam-hinkie-joel-embiid-ben-simmons&ref=antoinebuteau.com))
7. **"What you want to do is to raise the ceiling of the organization."** (This was his justification for bottoming out—to get picks high enough to draft a potential superstar). ([Source Context: Sports Illustrated](https://www.google.com/url?sa=E&q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.si.com%2Fnba%2F2015%2F03%2F04%2Fphiladelphia-76ers-sam-hinkie-analytics-rebuilding-nba&ref=antoinebuteau.com))
8. **"Confirmation bias is a real and dangerous thing."** (He references the work of Daniel Kahneman and the need to fight cognitive biases). ([Source: Sam Hinkie's Resignation Letter](https://www.google.com/url?sa=E&q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.espn.com%2Fnba%2Fstory%2F%5F%2Fid%2F15152525%2Ffull-text-sam-hinkie-resignation-letter&ref=antoinebuteau.com))
9. **"To attempt to do something extraordinary, you have to be willing to do something different."** (This belief underpins the entire "Process" experiment). ([Source Context: The Ringer](https://www.google.com/url?sa=E&q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theringer.com%2F2018%2F10%2F17%2F17986756%2Fthe-process-philadelphia-76ers-sam-hinkie-joel-embiid-ben-simmons&ref=antoinebuteau.com))
10. **"Invert, always invert."** (He quoted the German mathematician Carl Jacobi in his letter, advocating for looking at problems backward to find solutions). ([Source: Sam Hinkie's Resignation Letter](https://www.google.com/url?sa=E&q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.espn.com%2Fnba%2Fstory%2F%5F%2Fid%2F15152525%2Ffull-text-sam-hinkie-resignation-letter&ref=antoinebuteau.com))

## On Talent, Innovation, and Learning

1. **"The single most important factor to winning is talent."** (A simple but core belief that drove the entire asset-accumulation strategy). ([Source Context: Sports Illustrated](https://www.google.com/url?sa=E&q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.si.com%2Fnba%2F2015%2F03%2F04%2Fphiladelphia-76ers-sam-hinkie-analytics-rebuilding-nba&ref=antoinebuteau.com))
2. **"Strive to be a learning organization."** (He stressed the importance of institutional learning and continuous improvement). ([Source Context: Sam Hinkie's Resignation Letter](https://www.google.com/url?sa=E&q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.espn.com%2Fnba%2Fstory%2F%5F%2Fid%2F15152525%2Ffull-text-sam-hinkie-resignation-letter&ref=antoinebuteau.com))
3. **"Read voraciously. It’s the best way to get new ideas."** (His resignation letter is filled with quotes and references to a wide range of thinkers, from Abraham Lincoln to Seth Klarman). ([Source: Sam Hinkie's Resignation Letter](https://www.google.com/url?sa=E&q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.espn.com%2Fnba%2Fstory%2F%5F%2Fid%2F15152525%2Ffull-text-sam-hinkie-resignation-letter&ref=antoinebuteau.com))
4. **"Look for ideas in other fields. Sports is often behind other industries."** (He frequently drew parallels between his strategy and those used in Silicon Valley and investment banking). ([Source: Sam Hinkie's Resignation Letter](https://www.google.com/url?sa=E&q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.espn.com%2Fnba%2Fstory%2F%5F%2Fid%2F15152525%2Ffull-text-sam-hinkie-resignation-letter&ref=antoinebuteau.com))
5. **"The draft is a stochastic event. Your job is to get as many lottery tickets as possible."** (A widely used analogy to explain his strategy of amassing draft picks). ([Source Context: ESPN](https://www.google.com/url?sa=E&q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.espn.com%2Fnba%2Fstory%2F%5F%2Fpage%2Fpresents-samhinkie-170515%2Fthe-radical-team-building-strategy-sam-hinkie-used-run-philadelphia-76ers-why-crashed-burned&ref=antoinebuteau.com)))
6. **"It's about finding asymmetries of information."** (A classic investment term he applied to sports, seeking an edge by knowing more than competitors). ([Source Context: PandoDaily Fireside Chat](https://www.google.com/url?sa=E&q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DcIyS1z%5FT4jU&ref=antoinebuteau.com))
7. **"Don't be afraid to be contrarian."** (He quotes investor Seth Klarman on this topic: "The consensus view is often wrong, so you have to be a contrarian.") ([Source: Sam Hinkie's Resignation Letter](https://www.google.com/url?sa=E&q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.espn.com%2Fnba%2Fstory%2F%5F%2Fid%2F15152525%2Ffull-text-sam-hinkie-resignation-letter&ref=antoinebuteau.com))
8. **"The cost of a mistake in the NBA draft is enormous."** (This belief justified the strategy of gathering as many high-value picks as possible to mitigate the risk of any single bust). ([Source Context: Sports Illustrated](https://www.google.com/url?sa=E&q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.si.com%2Fnba%2F2015%2F03%2F04%2Fphiladelphia-76ers-sam-hinkie-analytics-rebuilding-nba&ref=antoinebuteau.com))
9. **"Intellectual humility is crucial. You have to be willing to admit you're wrong."** (This is a key component of Bayesian thinking, which he championed). ([Source: Sam Hinkie's Resignation Letter](https://www.google.com/url?sa=E&q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.espn.com%2Fnba%2Fstory%2F%5F%2Fid%2F15152525%2Ffull-text-sam-hinkie-resignation-letter&ref=antoinebuteau.com))
10. **"Your job is to be the steward of the organization for the next person."** (Reflects his long-term focus on the overall health of the franchise). ([Source Context: The Ringer](https://www.google.com/url?sa=E&q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theringer.com%2F2018%2F10%2F17%2F17986756%2Fthe-process-philadelphia-76ers-sam-hinkie-joel-embiid-ben-simmons&ref=antoinebuteau.com))

## On Leadership and Communication

1. **"Be a shepherd, not a sheep."** (A philosophy of independent thinking that defined his leadership style). ([Source Context: ESPN](https://www.google.com/url?sa=E&q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.espn.com%2Fnba%2Fstory%2F%5F%2Fpage%2Fpresents-samhinkie-170515%2Fthe-radical-team-building-strategy-sam-hinkie-used-run-philadelphia-76ers-why-crashed-burned&ref=antoinebuteau.com)))
2. **"You have to be able to communicate your vision clearly and consistently."** (While criticized for his lack of public media engagement, he was known for being meticulous in his communication with ownership). ([Source Context: Sam Hinkie's Resignation Letter](https://www.google.com/url?sa=E&q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.espn.com%2Fnba%2Fstory%2F%5F%2Fid%2F15152525%2Ffull-text-sam-hinkie-resignation-letter&ref=antoinebuteau.com))
3. **"Life is not zero-sum. We can all be better."** ([Source: Sam Hinkie's Resignation Letter](https://www.google.com/url?sa=E&q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.espn.com%2Fnba%2Fstory%2F%5F%2Fid%2F15152525%2Ffull-text-sam-hinkie-resignation-letter&ref=antoinebuteau.com))
4. **"A leader’s job is to absorb uncertainty from the organization."** (He believed in insulating his staff from short-term pressures so they could focus on long-term goals). ([Source: Stanford GSB Lecture Summary](https://www.google.com/url?sa=E&q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.gsb.stanford.edu%2Finsights%2Fsam-hinkie-think-about-risk-portfolio-not-play&ref=antoinebuteau.com))
5. **"The pressure from the outside is immense. You have to have a strong inner conviction."** (A necessary trait to withstand the years of public criticism he faced). ([Source Context: ESPN](https://www.google.com/url?sa=E&q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.espn.com%2Fnba%2Fstory%2F%5F%2Fpage%2Fpresents-samhinkie-170515%2Fthe-radical-team-building-strategy-sam-hinkie-used-run-philadelphia-76ers-why-crashed-burned&ref=antoinebuteau.com)))
6. **"Find people who are smarter than you and get out of their way."** (A common leadership principle he practiced, hiring a diverse and talented front office staff). ([Source Context: Sports Illustrated](https://www.google.com/url?sa=E&q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.si.com%2Fnba%2F2015%2F03%2F04%2Fphiladelphia-76ers-sam-hinkie-analytics-rebuilding-nba&ref=antoinebuteau.com))
7. **"Transparency with your team is critical."** (He was known for being incredibly open internally about the team's long-term strategy). ([Source Context: The Ringer](https://www.google.com/url?sa=E&q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theringer.com%2F2018%2F10%2F17%2F17986756%2Fthe-process-philadelphia-76ers-sam-hinkie-joel-embiid-ben-simmons&ref=antoinebuteau.com))
8. **"Take the blame when things go wrong, and give credit when they go right."** (A classic leadership tenet evident in his resignation, where he took full ownership of the team's record). ([Source Context: Sam Hinkie's Resignation Letter](https://www.google.com/url?sa=E&q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.espn.com%2Fnba%2Fstory%2F%5F%2Fid%2F15152525%2Ffull-text-sam-hinkie-resignation-letter&ref=antoinebuteau.com))
9. **"You need allies. You can't do it alone."** (His relationship with the 76ers ownership group was crucial to getting "The Process" approved and sustained for as long as it was). ([Source Context: ESPN](https://www.google.com/url?sa=E&q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.espn.com%2Fnba%2Fstory%2F%5F%2Fpage%2Fpresents-samhinkie-170515%2Fthe-radical-team-building-strategy-sam-hinkie-used-run-philadelphia-76ers-why-crashed-burned&ref=antoinebuteau.com)))
10. **"Sometimes the best move is the one you don't make."** (He often held onto assets and cap space, resisting the urge to make a suboptimal move just to "do something."). ([Source Context: Sports Illustrated](https://www.google.com/url?sa=E&q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.si.com%2Fnba%2F2015%2F03%2F04%2Fphiladelphia-76ers-sam-hinkie-analytics-rebuilding-nba&ref=antoinebuteau.com))

## Meta-Learnings from "The Process"

1. **Asset Accumulation is a Powerful Strategy:** The entire strategy was based on turning current players into future assets like draft picks. ([Source: Sam Hinkie's Resignation Letter](https://www.google.com/url?sa=E&q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.espn.com%2Fnba%2Fstory%2F%5F%2Fid%2F15152525%2Ffull-text-sam-hinkie-resignation-letter&ref=antoinebuteau.com))
2. **Embrace Optionality:** He prized financial and roster flexibility above all else, ensuring the team could act decisively when an opportunity presented itself. ([Source: Sam Hinkie's Resignation Letter](https://www.google.com/url?sa=E&q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.espn.com%2Fnba%2Fstory%2F%5F%2Fid%2F15152525%2Ffull-text-sam-hinkie-resignation-letter&ref=antoinebuteau.com))
3. **The Importance of a Long Time Horizon:** Hinkie's willingness to operate on a 5+ year timeline was his biggest structural advantage. ([Source: Sam Hinkie at the 2016 MIT Sloan Sports Analytics Conference](https://www.google.com/url?sa=E&q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DPfJqu3W-aA8&ref=antoinebuteau.com))
4. **Disruptive Innovation is Often Resisted:** "The Process" was so unconventional that it drew backlash from media, fans, and reportedly the NBA league office. ([Source Context: ESPN](https://www.google.com/url?sa=E&q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.espn.com%2Fnba%2Fstory%2F%5F%2Fpage%2Fpresents-samhinkie-170515%2Fthe-radical-team-building-strategy-sam-hinkie-used-run-philadelphia-76ers-why-crashed-burned&ref=antoinebuteau.com)))
5. **Process Can Be Vindicated by Results (Even if You're Not There to See It):** The foundation of the 76ers' later success (Joel Embiid, Ben Simmons, Dario Saric) was built entirely from assets acquired during Hinkie's tenure. ([Source Context: The Ringer](https://www.google.com/url?sa=E&q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theringer.com%2F2018%2F10%2F17%2F17986756%2Fthe-process-philadelphia-76ers-sam-hinkie-joel-embiid-ben-simmons&ref=antoinebuteau.com))
6. **Narrative Matters:** A key critique of Hinkie is that his lack of public engagement allowed others to frame his complex strategy as simply "tanking," which ultimately hurt his public and league-wide support. ([Source Context: ESPN](https://www.google.com/url?sa=E&q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.espn.com%2Fnba%2Fstory%2F%5F%2Fpage%2Fpresents-samhinkie-170515%2Fthe-radical-team-building-strategy-sam-hinkie-used-run-philadelphia-76ers-why-crashed-burned&ref=antoinebuteau.com)))
7. **Know Your Environment:** He built his strategy by deeply understanding and exploiting the incentives created by the NBA's draft lottery and rookie wage scale. ([Source: Sports Illustrated](https://www.google.com/url?sa=E&q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.si.com%2Fnba%2F2015%2F03%2F04%2Fphiladelphia-76ers-sam-hinkie-analytics-rebuilding-nba&ref=antoinebuteau.com))
8. **The Power of an Idea:** "Trust The Process" evolved from a team strategy into a cultural movement, inspiring a book and becoming a case study in business schools. ([Source Context: Tanking to the Top by Yaron Weitzman](https://www.google.com/url?sa=E&q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FTanking-Top-Philadelphia-76ers-Changed%2Fdp%2F1549148215&ref=antoinebuteau.com))
9. **You Need Organizational Alignment:** "The Process" could only last as long as ownership was fully bought in. His resignation came when that alignment fractured with the hiring of Jerry Colangelo. ([Source: Sam Hinkie's Resignation Letter](https://www.google.com/url?sa=E&q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.espn.com%2Fnba%2Fstory%2F%5F%2Fid%2F15152525%2Ffull-text-sam-hinkie-resignation-letter&ref=antoinebuteau.com))
10. **Legacy is Complicated:** Hinkie is seen by some as a brilliant innovator and by others as someone who damaged the integrity of the sport. His legacy remains one of the most debated in modern sports history. ([Source: The Ringer](https://www.google.com/url?sa=E&q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theringer.com%2F2018%2F10%2F17%2F17986756%2Fthe-process-philadelphia-76ers-sam-hinkie-joel-embiid-ben-simmons&ref=antoinebuteau.com))