Phil Jasner, who was the 76ers' beat writer for the Philadelphia Daily News Since 1981, passed away from cancer at the age of 68 on Friday.

Jasner was well-known within the basketball community for his fairness and decency.

"I could tell at the age of 5," said his son, Andy. "He took me to a game with him and people started coming up to him to talk - security guards, everyone. It would go on for years like that, at the old Spectrum, whether it was an usher or Joe Fan in the third row. He was approachable that way. People liked him, and he treated everyone the same. He had time for everybody."

Jasner was a lifelong Philadelphian.

"He loved to talk about basketball, off the record, just talk hoops," said Sixers general manager Ed Stefanski, who knew Jasner for nearly four decades. "How many guys who had Stage 4 cancer would continue on like he did? He just loved it. He loved basketball. It was his outlet.

"We argued sometimes, had great debates. But he was fair and he was a character. Philadelphia basketball people are interesting people, and he was one of them."