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Category: Sixers/NBA

  • ‘Really tall’ Dean Wade is here to shoot the ball and help the Sixers defense

    ‘Really tall’ Dean Wade is here to shoot the ball and help the Sixers defense

    For the duration of Tyrese Maxey’s NBA career, Dean Wade was on the Cleveland Cavaliers, which meant Maxey and Wade shared the floor plenty over the last six years.

    But one quality of Wade didn’t stand out for Maxey until they got on the practice floor together.

    “I didn’t know he was this tall,” Maxey said. “You play against a guy two or three times a year, but you don’t really realize until you’re seeing somebody every day — he’s tall. He’s really tall.”

    LeBron James’ goal in Philly is clear: ‘I didn’t leave my family to lose in the second round’

    Wade, listed at 6-foot-9, will be utilizing that height off the bench to bolster the Sixers defense. His arrival from Cleveland was a part of the team’s plans before the Sixers traded for Jaylen Brown and landed LeBron James. Now that both Brown and James are here, Wade figures to be an ideal bench piece to complement this group. He’s a low-usage shooter, but someone who can knock down open threes (36.7% for his career), and he is a defensive standout who can take on a team’s best player, thanks in part to that height.

    “That’s what’s going to separate us on the defensive end, too, we have so many great defenders, great help side defenders and great on-ball defenders,” Wade said.

    Wade came to the Sixers thanks in part to his relationship in Cleveland with president of basketball operations Mike Gansey, who previously served as the Cavaliers general manager. Gansey and Wade bonded early over their shared rivalries from the Big 12 (Gansey went to West Virginia, Wade Kansas State) and the undrafted Wade steadily carved out a role for himself with the Cavaliers with his commitment to defense.

    He credited two coaches of his there, Josh Broghamer and Chris Darnell, with instilling the value of defense in him — not just how defense could affect a team, but how he could help him find a role in the NBA. So he got in the weight room and kept developing his lateral quickness so he could stay in front of his man.

    “They were like, ‘The one thing that’s going to keep you on the floor is defense,’” Wade said. “‘You’re big. You move lateral, you’re quick enough that you can stay in front of people.’ And I think they’re like, ‘If you want to play, you want to stick in the NBA, you got to do that. You know, every team has scores, people that can create. You got to be different.’”

    The star-studded Sixers take their first steps, starting with a ‘vision’ presentation from Nick Nurse

    Wade, who averaged 5.8 points last season, said one of his goals this season on offense was to make sure he gave his teammates space to create and do their thing. He wouldn’t be hunting for his own shot. Maxey said he was going to encourage Wade to shoot more.

    “He’s also somebody who knows how to play a role, and he knows how to star in his role, too. He doesn’t deviate,” Maxey said. “[I’ll] be on him this year about shooting the ball. I want him to shoot a lot of threes. He can shoot the ball.”

    Dean Wade (45) during Sixers media day on Monday.Jessica Griffin / Staff Photographer

    When told what Maxey said, Wade flashed a smile, as if he has heard 1,000 times in his career that he has the green light to shoot the ball more.

    “They pay me to shoot the ball when I’m open and play defense, so I have to do that,” Wade said. “Coach [Nick Nurse] has been on me a few times already, so it’s something that I’ve been told before. It’s not like I hate it; it’s better to shoot than stop shooting, but it will come along when you get into the flow of games and getting repetition, and time with each other.”

    Among his initial impressions so far at camp, Wade said both Jaylen Brown and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope think the game similarly to him, and he has also been impressed with the maturity of VJ Edgecombe, even though the second-year guard is only 21 years old.

    “I love the way he plays. I really do,” Wade said. “So anytime I get out there on his team, like I love it because man, he’s flying around in transition, making the right cuts. He’s sacrificing shots for people, and … he plays the right way.”

    Dealing with ‘noise’ part of Sixers season, even that from LeBron James’ helicopter

    Which sounds a lot like the way Wade plays.

    “I’ve been in the gym quite a bit with everyone,” Wade said. “The biggest thing coming in is being yourself. Especially, in training camp, just come out, be who you’re going to be all season and let everyone learn what you do.”

  • Tyrese Maxey lands on Time’s NEXT100 list, with new Sixers teammate LeBron James writing his tribute

    Tyrese Maxey lands on Time’s NEXT100 list, with new Sixers teammate LeBron James writing his tribute

    Tyrese Maxey helped bring LeBron James to Philadelphia. Now, James is helping explain how the Sixers guard influenced his decision beyond sending a few text messages.

    On Wednesday, Time Magazine named Maxey to its 2026 TIME100 Next list, recognizing him among the world’s most influential rising stars. His new teammate, James, wrote the accompanying tribute.

    “Tyrese Maxey gets better every season, and he’s really just getting started,” James wrote.

    James pointed not only to Maxey’s development as a player, but also to his growth as a leader. He acknowledged something that has become increasingly clear since James arrived in Philadelphia this summer: Maxey played a significant role in getting him here.

    James wrote that the two have trained in the summer together for five years and said their relationship away from basketball influenced his decision to sign with the Sixers.

    It is a relationship years in the making. Maxey first worked out with James before entering the NBA in 2020, and they continued training together each offseason.

    The star-studded Sixers take their first steps, starting with a ‘vision’ presentation from Nick Nurse

    Maxey had even floated Philadelphia to James during a previous free-agency period, though the possibility became much more realistic this summer after the Sixers acquired Jaylen Brown from the Boston Celtics and James decided to leave Los Angeles.

    James said at Sixers media day Monday that he had a “great relationship” with Maxey and confirmed they had multiple conversations about Philadelphia before he signed.

    Sixers player Tyrese Maxey visited his barbershop, Faheem’s Hands of Precision, to promote his new signature sneakers, New Balance Maxey V1s earlier this month.Monica Herndon / Staff Photographer

    The latest honor among honors

    The Time recognition is the latest marker of Maxey’s continued rise.

    The 25-year-old averaged career highs of 28.3 points and 6.6 assists last season. He earned his second All-Star selection and started the game for the first time. He was later named third-team All-NBA, the first All-NBA honor of his career.

    Earlier this month, ESPN ranked Maxey as the NBA’s No. 11 player entering the 2026-27 season — ahead of new teammate Brown, who ranked 14th, and James, who came in at No. 18. Maxey is a two-time All-Star, the 2023-24 NBA Most Improved Player, and was All-NBA third team last season.

    Sixers players react to being teammates with LeBron James at media day
    Video: Sixers players react to being teammates with LeBron James at media day

    Maxey joins another Philadelphia star who recently made the jump onto Time’s radar.

    Jalen Hurts was selected for the TIME100 Next list in 2023, with Peyton Manning writing his tribute after Hurts led the Eagles to the Super Bowl and signed a five-year contract extension. Two years later, following the Eagles’ Super Bowl LIX championship, Hurts graduated to TIME’s main list of the world’s 100 most influential people, with Derek Jeter writing his tribute.

  • The star-studded Sixers take their first steps, starting with a ‘vision’ presentation from Nick Nurse

    The star-studded Sixers take their first steps, starting with a ‘vision’ presentation from Nick Nurse

    Nick Nurse began the 76ers’ 2026 training camp the same way he always has: With a 30-minute presentation of his “vision” for the season before players and coaches hit the practice floor.

    It is safe to assume Nurse sees immense potential in the group that, after adding LeBron James and Jaylen Brown during a stunning offseason, finally assembled in an official capacity Tuesday. Now they have begun their initial steps to put together this star-studded puzzle, including a practice Nurse described as competitive and defense-focused.

    “From start to finish, the intensity never dropped,” standout second-year guard VJ Edgecombe added.

    For now, outsiders must take the Sixers’ words for it. The massive media contingent was permitted to enter the gym only at the end of the practice and, by then, Edgecombe and newcomer Anfernee Simons were the only notable players still on the court going through individual shooting work.

    Dealing with ‘noise’ part of Sixers season, even that from LeBron James’ helicopter

    James emphasized during Monday’s media day that the revamped Sixers cannot expect to make “instant oatmeal,” that it takes “uncomfortable” repetition and “collective sacrifice” to turn on-paper talent into on-court contention. When James has changed teams during his historic 24-year career, they have traditionally gotten off to mediocre-to-shaky starts while figuring out roles and rhythm in real time. The goal, of course, is for the Sixers to be peaking in mid-April, not late September, as part of a suddenly deep Eastern Conference headlined by the defending champion New York Knicks.

    Yet weeks before arriving in Camden, James and several other players attempted to begin building their foundation as Sixers.

    Edgecombe boasted Monday about creating a get-to-know-you group chat when the Sixers traded for Brown — but had to ask All-NBA guard Tyrese Maxey to add James once he signed later that month. Though Maxey has consistently spent summers working out with James, a fellow Klutch agency client, this year they could experiment with two-man actions to run as teammates and drill nuances such as angles and the timing of cuts. Brown joined for some sessions that circulated on social media. Maxey also linked with Edgecombe and Simons for on-court work.

    “That’s pretty dope in the summertime,” Maxey said. “That’s not common. … [We] tried to build that camaraderie early, and I think it’ll help us in the long run.”

    Sixers guard VJ Edgecombe talks with members of the media after practice.Jose F. Moreno / Staff Photographer

    The excitement from outsiders for training camp’s start also permeated the Sixers’ staff conversations leading up to Tuesday, Nurse acknowledged. The team chose not to go off-site for this week’s practices, with the coach half-joking that they are “still trying to recover” from last year’s preseason trip to Abu Dhabi.

    Tactically, Nurse focused Tuesday on defensive fundamentals such as quickly setting up in transition and ending possessions by blocking out for a rebound. Those principles feed into his philosophy to win the possession battle by forcing turnovers and crashing the glass, and would be a welcomed complement to the Sixers’ offensive firepower.

    And throughout Tuesday’s session, Nurse said, players’ “individual qualities [got to] shine at different moments.”

    Former NBA Most Valuable Player Joel Embiid was a full participant, which Nurse called “very, very good news” compared to how his health has entered previous training camps. James was a vocal “example-setter,” the coach added, while Brown looked like the All-NBA wing the Sixers recently competed against in the playoffs’ first round. Edgecombe said he did not move as timidly as in his first training camp last year.

    “I want these guys to be who they are,” Nurse said. “I want them to not have rigid roles.”

    LeBron James is here because of Tyrese Maxey. That says something about both of them.

    Perhaps nothing will be more valuable than the repetitions of the coming days and weeks, allowing players to organically learn teammates’ tendencies. Nurse is sure to tinker with various lineup combinations, acknowledging again Tuesday that the aging (and injury-conscious) James and Embiid will miss games throughout the season. On-the-floor communication and collaboration, between teammates and coaches, will lead into post-practice film study.

    Those are all components of the initial steps for this star-studded roster with soaring outside expectations and attention. And with Tuesday’s much-anticipated “vision” presentation and first practice complete, Nurse stressed the need “to get up tomorrow, like 98% as excited as we did today.”

    “It’s going to be hard to get as excited as we all were today, right?” Nurse said. “But we need to come back, and we need to keep climbing that mountain. That’s a daily process.”

  • Dealing with ‘noise’ part of Sixers season, even that from LeBron James’ helicopter

    Dealing with ‘noise’ part of Sixers season, even that from LeBron James’ helicopter

    As Anfernee Simons was discussing the first day of training camp for the 76ers, the noise from outside the Sixers practice facility began getting louder.

    The sound of a helicopter mixed in with the soft-spoken responses from Simons, and there could not have been a more obvious metaphor for what awaits the Sixers this season. The external chatter, or noise, will be loud; the Sixers have to deal with it.

    The helicopter was there to whisk LeBron James away as he will split his time between Philadelphia and New York while at home this season. James himself acknowledged at media day Monday that his arrival comes with a lot of noise, noise that will be “doubled, tripled and quadrupled now that I’m here,” he said.

    LeBron James is here because of Tyrese Maxey. That says something about both of them.

    He wasn’t talking about actual decibel levels, but that also increased in the gym Tuesday.

    “Ultimate professional,” Simons said of James. “I think he’s built that for 20-plus years now. You hear the stories about him being here early, getting his work done, and saw that today. He was here already getting warmed up by the time I walked through the door. Just speaks to how he’s able to play like this for 24 years.”

    The helicopter was one part of what was hardly a typical practice day for the Sixers. Dozens of media members attended Tuesday with camera operators lined up in a small hallway just outside the practice courts, waiting for the door to open so they could rush at practice’s end to get the best spot to film interviews.

    But so many were present that the Sixers called an audible before coach Nick Nurse spoke post-practice and moved their media setup away from the corner of the facility to create more space for the assembled horde to circle around Nurse.

    “It’s going to be different,” Nurse said of the attention. “Just … more people, more eyes, more stories, more national TV, all that kind of stuff. I mean, it’s the same. It’s just a little more, right?”

    When the team let reporters in for the last few minutes to watch players go through individual workouts, James and some of the other big names, like Joel Embiid and Jaylen Brown, had left the floor, a slight disappointment for those hoping to catch some B-roll of the stars working out.

    Sixers coach Nick Nurse said he understands the team will experience ups and downs. Jose F. Moreno / Staff Photographer

    No one is under any illusions that the Sixers will be under the media and social media microscope, the kind of pressure cooker that examines every interaction and dissects body language looking for internal points of friction.

    “I’m just trying to get to the practice floor and to the game floor. If we can do those two things, all that other stuff, we just kind of handle it as smoothly as we can,” Nurse said. “We understand there’ll be some ups and downs. Let’s look out for each other. Let’s connect if there’s any bumpy stuff happening outside this wall, let’s get back in between the lines and let’s get to work.”

    To Simons, blocking out the proverbial noise means not letting the outside world define what the expectations are for this team.

    “Focus on our goals that we got inside this building,” Simons said. “Everybody’s gonna set outside expectations on us, but if we fulfill our own expectations that we set for ourselves, and focus on that, I think we’ll be fine.”

    Jaylen Brown adjusting in ‘phases’ to his new home with the Sixers

    As James pointed out this week, that will take “honest conversations” and “doing things that [are] uncomfortable.” He also mentioned how he spoke to Tyrese Maxey before joining the team and asked if he thought his personality would be a good fit with the franchise.

    “Because I understand my personality and what comes with me,” James said. “Sometimes it can be a negative. You know, I understand some people maybe can’t handle what I may bring to the table, and I was just … asking all the questions that I could ask to him.”

    As the helicopter noise faded, Simons finished his media session a few minutes later. The team took down its interview setup, and the gym was quiet. Day one of practice was in the books, a few hundred more to go.

  • LeBron James is here because of Tyrese Maxey. That says something about both of them.

    LeBron James is here because of Tyrese Maxey. That says something about both of them.

    The three words that have long defined Tyrese Maxey were also the ones that landed LeBron James with the 76ers. They were spoken a little more than six years ago by Rajon Rondo, the longtime NBA point guard who’d starred at the University of Kentucky before embarking on a pro career that saw him win a championship and make four All-Star teams with the Celtics.

    This was the summer of 2020, and the world was on hiatus, and Rondo found himself sharing the court with a 19-year-old kid who was about to become the latest in a long line of first-round draft picks from his alma mater. Maxey liked waking up early, and he liked working late, and the kid could ball a little bit. Rondo was impressed enough that he mentioned Maxey to James, his then-teammate on a Lakers team that would go on to win the NBA title once play resumed that summer.

    “He works hard,” Rondo told James.

    LeBron James’ goal in Philly is clear: ‘I didn’t leave my family to lose in the second round’

    In hindsight, maybe we shouldn’t have been so floored three months ago when James announced that he would be continuing his Hall of Fame career with the Sixers. Those of us who’d witnessed Maxey’s rise over the last seven years were well aware of his irrepressible good nature and earnest commitment to his craft. There may not be a more likable player in all of professional sports, let alone the NBA. It isn’t just his magnetism and work ethic, but also the genuineness with which these traits express themselves. What we didn’t know was the extent to which James, too, valued such things. Turns out, he values them a great deal.

    “Our relationship, when I broke a lot of the teams and franchises down I could possibly play for, he was one of the main deciding factors,” James said Monday in his first official public appearance as a Sixer.

    LeBron James on how much Tyrese Maxey played a factor in his decision to choose Philly
    Video: LeBron James on how much Tyrese Maxey played a factor in his decision to choose Philly

    It’d be easy to interpret that solely as an endorsement of Maxey. But, in a funny way, James’ relationship with Maxey speaks as much to his own character as vice versa. Most of us here in Philadelphia know James only from afar, which means our impressions of him are inevitably shaped more by secondhand narratives than by firsthand witness.

    In the weeks leading up to his decision to sign with the Sixers, local airwaves and social-media feeds crackled with skepticism from a contingent of fans who not only doubted James’ intentions but also recoiled at the idea of seeing him in a Sixers uniform. However genuine some of those skeptics were, others were undoubtedly reacting to a heroes-and-villains caricature that develops with all superstars who reach a certain stature. James’ relationship with Maxey doesn’t necessarily square with that caricature.

    “He’s worked for everything he’s gotten,” Maxey said. “He was put on a pedestal where a lot of guys don’t succeed. And he probably surpassed expectations. For myself, I kind of had the opposite start of my career. I was put on a different pedestal, and I felt like I had to work my way up to where I am.

    “But still, at the end of the day, both of us had to work to get to where we were. I believe in the work, he believes in the work. Like I’ve been saying for years, we’ve got to get one percent better [every day], and not just on the court, but as a group, the camaraderie. It’s gonna be new. It’s gonna be different … But it’s gonna be good.”

    Jaylen Brown adjusting in ‘phases’ to his new home with the Sixers

    The most striking thing about James’ first news conference as a Sixer was both his maturity and the way in which it echoed Maxey’s.

    “You got to try to stay even-keeled, understand that the noise is gonna be noise, what happens outside of this building is gonna consistently happen, and it’s going to be doubled and tripled and quadrupled now that I’m here,” James said. “And it just comes with the territory, I understand it. So the work that we put in in this building, the work that we put in when we’re on the road, watching film, the work that we put in, will take care of itself. …

    “Guys will hold each other accountable. We put the work in, we have honest conversations, things of that nature. So, you know, just staying even-keeled and everything that’s going on out there does not matter. It does not matter at all, it’s about the results and the things that happen in this building for us. And if we do that, we’re a really talented team, but the talent will only get you so far.

    “But if you put the work in, and you continue to be better and better every day, and you have this championship approach every day to get one percent better, and then it definitely will work in our favor.”

    LeBron James dons a Sixers jersey for the first time as he speaks to reporters on Monday in Camden, N.J.Gabriela Carroll /

    Whatever your preconceived notions about LeBron, he is clearly an athlete who treats his craft with the utmost sincerity. As Maxey said, plenty of athletes have begun their careers on pedestals similar to the one James occupied as a generational schoolboy star at Akron’s St. Vincent-St. Mary and the eventual No. 1 overall pick in the 2003 NBA draft. The dividing line between the greats and the coulda-been-greats is more often than not an internal will that manifests itself in both work ethic and competitive drive. Both are evident in the words James speaks and the manner in which he speaks them. One suspects his new teammates will have no choice but to listen.

    Maxey wasn’t blessed with the same raw physical gifts as James. He had the misfortune of entering college the year the world shut down, which limited his exposure and precipitated his fall to the Sixers at No. 21. But there is clearly something kindred between the two players. Listening to them talk, seeing them side-by-side wearing the same uniform, it suddenly seemed obvious why James ended up with the Sixers. That says something about Maxey. It says more about James.

  • Jaylen Brown adjusting in ‘phases’ to his new home with the Sixers

    Jaylen Brown adjusting in ‘phases’ to his new home with the Sixers

    Few NBA players ever go through an offseason like Jaylen Brown just had.

    After Brown had the best individual season of his career, the Celtics reportedly considered trading him to the Milwaukee Bucks in the Giannis Antetokounmpo sweepstakes. As the summer progressed, the Celtics ultimately decided now was the time to move off Brown, who had won a championship as a Finals MVP in his 10-year run with Boston.

    There was all kinds of dialogue about Brown, about his value as a player when it came to advanced statistics, or that the league might perceive him as too smart for his own good.

    Joel Embiid looks light, sounds optimistic about his new teammates and Sixers’ chances

    At media day Monday, Brown said he had an issue with all the anonymously sourced reports about his play or his character, and he singled out one that still irked him from national radio voice and Fox host Colin Cowherd.

    “What’s the word I want to use? I would say concerning, maybe a little bizarre, definitely some undertones there,” Brown said of some of the things being said about him. “Colin Cowherd said I had a disease, or his source said I had a disease. I don’t know what that was about.”

    LeBron James on how much Tyrese Maxey played a factor in his decision to choose Philly
    Video: LeBron James on how much Tyrese Maxey played a factor in his decision to choose Philly

    The 76ers, of course, were the prime benefactors of this drama, with Brown coming to Philadelphia in a July trade. That move tipped the scales in their favor in the pursuit of LeBron James, even if it may take some adjusting for his rivals-turned-teammates seeing him in these new threads.

    “Seeing [Brown] in Philly’s uniform in red, white, and blue is awkward,” Tyrese Maxey said. “But it’s good. He’s a good guy and he’s going to adapt quickly.”

    From left to right: Jaylen Brown, LeBron James, Joel Embiid, and Tyrese Maxey shown at Sixers media day on Monday.Jessica Griffin / Staff Photographer

    Brown sounded as if he was still adjusting to this change of scenery. Last month, he threw a block party for the city of Boston, with thousands showing up to the event, which was a capstone for his Boston tenure and all he did in the city off the court.

    “It’s phases for sure,” Brown said. “It’s a mental side. It’s an emotional side. It’s a physical side. It’s a bunch of phases to just getting comfortable and getting set up. It’s an adjustment, it’s new. Every day is a day forward.”

    LeBron James on Philly sports fans: 'They know ball'
    Video: LeBron James on Philly sports fans: ‘They know ball’

    As Brown gets acclimated to his new surroundings, he said he will be focused on boosting the team defensively. That end of the floor is where “we should hang our hats as a team.”

    “Offensively, we’ve got a lot of firepower, but we’ve got to all hold each other accountable on defense,” Brown said. “So I’m looking forward to that. I’m looking forward to that challenge, but you know it’s going to take time. It’s going to take familiarity, getting used to the defensive systems and calls.”

    LeBron James’ goal in Philly is clear: ‘I didn’t leave my family to lose in the second round’

    That’s what practice is for, with Brown and his teammates all emphasizing that acclimating to each other would take time. Throughout media day and in their comments running up to it, the Sixers also said the season would require a lot of “sacrifice.” Brown’s teammate in Boston, Anfernee Simons, saying sacrifice was going to be the “word of the year.”

    To that end, Brown wasn’t feeling a question that centered on who was the team’s alpha, or if that was something that even mattered to this group of players. He responded with, “next question.”

    One question he did take time to answer was one that involved his championship pedigree, and if he can use that experience to infuse the Sixers.

    Jaylen Brown was introduced by the Sixers last month.Monica Herndon / Staff Photographer

    “I’m not so sure if that’s true,” Brown said. “It’s a new group. I’m approaching this with an empty slate. Just coming in every single day and just trying to maximize every opportunity. Not taking anything for granted. I don’t have any, I wouldn’t say, expectation. …

    “I’m not so sure if things in the past will help you. They may. But there may be some stuff you have to figure out and do differently as well. I’m ready for either.”

  • LeBron James stays cagey and lauding Tyrese Maxey’s work on the phones: Five takeaways from Sixers media day

    LeBron James stays cagey and lauding Tyrese Maxey’s work on the phones: Five takeaways from Sixers media day

    The long wait to see LeBron James in a Sixers jersey ended. Joel Embiid got back to his Troll Embiid roots. And Tyrese Maxey’s role in the Sixers’ offseason became even more amplified.

    Here are five takeaways from Monday’s media day.

    LeBron doesn’t commit to a ‘final decision’

    James signed a two-year, $8 million deal with a player option to join the Sixers in July. And when he described his move to the Sixers in his initial announcement, James called it his “final decision.” But when asked if this would indeed be his final contract, James said: “We’ll see what happens.”

    James acknowledged that he’s entering his 24th season and said he needs to give himself grace.

    LeBron James is focused on 'living in the moment' with the Sixers
    Video: LeBron James is focused on ‘living in the moment’ with the Sixers

    “Honestly, I’m just looking at it, every single day, on how I can be the best version of myself for this franchise while I’m here,” he said. “I don’t want to speak into the future right now. I would be doing a disservice to myself on just living in the moment, especially knowing that I am where I am in my career.”

    LeBron James’ goal in Philly is clear: ‘I didn’t leave my family to lose in the second round’

    Embiid is still trolling

    Embiid followed James on media day, and their handling of the dais couldn’t have been more different. James’ first public address was fairly serious, with the discussion centering on his legacy, his deep relationship with Maxey, and where he sees himself in the future.

    Embiid was similarly asked serious questions. He handled them differently. At one point, he paused before flashing a smile and blurted, “I’m trying to figure out if I want to troll or not.”

    When he wasn’t having a little fun and pretending that he didn’t help recruit James, Embiid was honest about his health and how refreshing it was to finally have a surgery-free offseason.

    LeBron James on how much Tyrese Maxey played a factor in his decision to choose Philly
    Video: LeBron James on how much Tyrese Maxey played a factor in his decision to choose Philly

    Maxey’s role in landing LeBron can’t be overstated

    Maxey’s recruitment of James started years ago.

    Maxey spent time in the gym with James before his rookie season and admitted that he shot a text to James a few years ago even though it was clear the future NBA Hall of Famer was set to return to the Lakers in free agency. Maxey joked that he knew it was a long shot but still asked James if he was interested in “coming back to the Northeast.”

    Jaylen Brown, LeBron James, Joel Embiid, and Tyrese Maxey receive information from the photographer during media day.Jessica Griffin / Staff Photographer

    Those moments paid off this summer. When the Sixers traded for Jaylen Brown and James made it clear he wouldn’t return to Los Angeles, things became more serious. Those conversations took a different shape and happened more often, according to James, who said he didn’t have just one conversation about Philly with Maxey.

    James was clear that his relationship with Maxey played a pivotal role in his decision to join the Sixers. So did the presence of Brown and conversations with Joel Embiid, a former Team USA teammate of James who joked at media day that they didn’t speak this summer.

    Yes, the Iverson-era black Sixers jerseys are back. Here’s what else LeBron James and Co. will be wearing.

    “Our relationship, when I broke a lot of the teams and franchises down I could possibly play for, he was one of the main deciding factors.”

    Maxey’s role in adding James was lauded all summer. Yet he was still surprised it happened.

    LeBron James on Philly sports fans: 'They know ball'
    Video: LeBron James on Philly sports fans: ‘They know ball’

    “I see him in the summertime every year,” Maxey said, “but to see him here in Camden, New Jersey, in the facility with a Sixers jersey on, it’s a cool experience.”

    After hearing James speak, Maxey’s part in making that happen can’t be overstated.

    Sixers stressing camaraderie

    The Sixers are bringing together a lot of new players, with James, Brown, Dean Wade, Anfernee Simons and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope all joining the franchise this summer. Unsurprisingly, it was common for players to mention off-court camaraderie and the importance of team building.

    James, Brown and KCP, who have all won NBA titles, spoke about the issue at length. And while Maxey hasn’t won the big one yet, he played a particularly outsized role in gathering teammates even before the season started. He recruited James, worked out with Simons in Texas, spent time with VJ Edgecombe, among other activities this summer.

    Jaylen Brown adjusting in ‘phases’ to his new home with the Sixers

    VJ won’t be asked to ‘sacrifice’

    The Sixers have referred to their starting lineup as the Big Five, yet the common refrain has been that second-year star Edgecombe will need to sacrifice.

    Several Sixers players dispelled that notion on Monday, starting with James. He asked why Edgecombe would need to sacrifice and recognized that the word can carry a negative connotation.

    VJ Edgecombe during a photo shoot at Sixers media day at the Penn Medicine Training Complex in Camden on Monday.Jessica Griffin / Staff Photographer

    Maxey said similarly that the Sixers might need different things from Edgecombe on different nights, but admitted that will apply to several players.

    “I’ve been hearing that things are going to change for him,” James said. “I don’t understand why things would change for him … I don’t think his role should change.

    “With the group of guys we have, no one mentioned that everyone’s role will probably be different. And that’s for the greater good, if we want to accomplish something that’s really, really important. If we say that we want to do something special, there will be a collective sacrifice.”

  • LeBron James’ goal in Philly is clear: ‘I didn’t leave my family to lose in the second round’

    LeBron James’ goal in Philly is clear: ‘I didn’t leave my family to lose in the second round’

    LeBron James grabbed and glanced at the name tag perched on a table, then quipped, “You guys know who I am, right?”

    Those assembled inside the 76ers’ practice facility did, of course. James, one of the NBA’s all-time greats and a mainstream international celebrity, generally commands such hubbub. But the blue No. 23 jersey that James wore Monday amped that attention up even more. New teammate Tyrese Maxey even called seeing his friend and summer workout buddy’s new professional attire “really just weird.”

    In James’ long-anticipated first day inside these walls — and first time speaking publicly since he chose the Sixers in a stunning free-agency move in July — the future Hall of Famer touched on needing to learn new streets and new people. The Northeast Ohio native mentioned reacclimating to weather in this part of the country, on the tail end of the weekend’s Nor’easter storm. James acknowledged the outside noise surrounding the Sixers will be “doubled and tripped and quadrupled now that I’m here.”

    LeBron James stays cagey and lauding Tyrese Maxey’s work on the phones. Here are five takeaways from Sixers media day

    Yet James reemphasized that his goal, in perhaps his last destination in a storied NBA career, is to seize the Sixers’ newfound super team status. The four-time champion hopes to provide the “blueprint” for the “collective sacrifice” and consistent work habits required to reach the NBA mountaintop, a feat the Sixers have not accomplished in more than four decades.

    “Everyone wants, like, instant oatmeal,” James said at the Sixers’ media day ahead of the start of training camp. “You just put the oatmeal in the bowl, you put water in it, throw it in the microwave, and in a minute-and-a-half, you’ve got something to eat. You’re ready to go.

    LeBron James on Philly sports fans: 'They know ball'
    Video: LeBron James on Philly sports fans: ‘They know ball’

    “If you want to do something special, it takes time. And it takes, every single day, doing things that you may not want to do. Because it’s the same thing, over and over and over and over and over, repetition after repetition after repetition. …

    “That is the best way to expedite being great: You have to fall in love with doing things [that are] uncomfortable. And if we can do that, we can be a great team. If we don’t do that, then we’ll be like, ‘Oh, man, that was a great team on paper and we had a lot of great talent, and we lost in the second round.’”

    LeBron James wore a Sixers jersey for the first time on Monday. Jessica Griffin / Staff Photographer

    When asked directly Monday if the 41-year-old James, who signed a two-year, $8 million contract with a player option, views Philly as his “final stop,” James did not fully commit. He said “that would be doing a disservice to myself on just living in the moment” entering season No. 24.

    James did give a brief recap of why he chose Philly in July, including agent Rich Paul’s infamous white board breaking down his contenders in a podcast episode. James reinforced that multiple conversations with Maxey, an All-NBA guard and fellow Klutch client, was “one of the main deciding factors” in him selecting the Sixers over previous teams the Cleveland Cavaliers and Miami Heat, among other suitors.

    LeBron James on how much Tyrese Maxey played a factor in his decision to choose Philly
    Video: LeBron James on how much Tyrese Maxey played a factor in his decision to choose Philly

    James hopes his vast experience — he is the NBA’s all-time leading scorer and a four-time league Most Valuable Player — can aid new teammates such as Joel Embiid, also a former MVP, and an organization with rich history seeking its first NBA title since 1983. James also still provides top-notch on-court production, basketball IQ, and versatility. He averaged 20.9 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 7.2 assists with the Los Angeles Lakers last season — and said he is willing to do “whatever the team needs for me to do.”

    “I think the luxury of my game is I can do everything,” James said, candidly. “Literally, I can do everything.”

    Joel Embiid looks light, sounds optimistic about his new teammates and Sixers’ chances

    Added Maxey: “He’s worked for everything he’s gotten. He was put on a pedestal [as a prospect] where a lot of guys don’t succeed, and he’s probably surpassed expectations.”

    James’ illustrious career has included numerous trips to Philly, even dating back to a high school game played at The Palestra. He commended that the city’s passionate sports fans “know ball,” and that, as an opponent, he felt “a mutual respect … but we hate you.”

    “I actually really love that,” James said. “I really thrive under that circumstance. … I’m happy to be on this side, though.”

    LeBron James is focused on 'living in the moment' with the Sixers
    Video: LeBron James is focused on ‘living in the moment’ with the Sixers

    During conversations and workouts in the weeks since choosing the Sixers, James said he has felt that the organization’s key figures are “on the same page.” Training camp opens Tuesday, ahead of an Oct. 20 opener at the defending champion New York Knicks.

    James cautioned against expecting “instant oatmeal.” But his ultimate goal — for this newly assembled super team, and in perhaps his legendary career’s final chapter — was clear.

    “I didn’t leave my family to lose in the second round,” James said. “I know that, for sure. Work needs to be done, and I’m ready to put the work in.”

  • Joel Embiid looks light, sounds optimistic about his new teammates and Sixers’ chances

    Joel Embiid looks light, sounds optimistic about his new teammates and Sixers’ chances

    At the end of last season, Joel Embiid was optimistic about what a summer without a major injury for him to deal with could do for the Sixers heading into next season.

    So, what did he spend his summer doing?

    “Nothing,” he said with a smirk. “Gained a lot of weight.”

    Embiid looked up toward the ceiling and debated whether he wanted to keep trolling when asked for further clarification about his summer.

    LeBron James is focused on 'living in the moment' with the Sixers
    Video: LeBron James is focused on ‘living in the moment’ with the Sixers

    “I feel good,” Embiid said Monday. “I won’t get into all the details of what I did, but I felt like I did the right things to put myself and the team in a position to succeed.”

    Contrary to his jokes, he looked lighter and said he wants to play “as much as possible” this season after struggling with injuries on and off through his entire NBA career. He said his knee issues were “behind him.”

    “Jo is one of the most talented guys we have in the world,” LeBron James said. “For him, it’s just about health.”

    LeBron James stays cagey and lauding Tyrese Maxey’s work on the phones. Here are five takeaways from Sixers media day

    Embiid might have kept his summer purposefully low-profile, but the Sixers did anything but, trading for Jaylen Brown and signing James. Commenting for the first time on the moves, Embiid could barely hold in a laugh while saying that he “didn’t talk” to James as part of the recruiting process.

    LeBron James on how much Tyrese Maxey played a factor in his decision to choose Philly
    Video: LeBron James on how much Tyrese Maxey played a factor in his decision to choose Philly

    The trade with Boston for Brown was a bit “bittersweet,” due to the personal relationship between Embiid and Paul George, and the relationship between Embiid’s son Arthur and George’s son Paul.

    But adding a player of Brown’s caliber provided a needed shakeup to the Sixers’ roster.

    “I was excited because you’re getting a guy – first-team All-NBA,” Embiid said. “The job he did, especially when [Jayson Tatum] was hurt, was huge, obviously we played against him, but what he brings on the defensive, offensive end … to be able to add that, combining that with everything he does on and off the court, I think he’s going to be good for the city of Philadelphia.”

    Jimmy Butler (left) was among the stars Joel Embiid has played with previous with the Sixers. Here in 2019, they played together for half of a season.YONG KIM / Staff Photographer

    This is perhaps Embiid’s most talented group of teammates yet. But the Sixers have had other stars during Embiid’s tenure, including James Harden, Jimmy Butler, and George.

    Embiid said he didn’t want to characterize those previous star experiments as “not working out,” despite the lack of playoff success. He has preached for years that a big reason for the Sixers’ struggles even with talented rosters is the lack of consistency.

    “Like Jimmy, we only had for half a year,” Embiid said. “Some things could have happened to build on that, but we didn’t.”

    LeBron James’ goal in Philly is clear: ‘I didn’t leave my family to lose in the second round’

    But Embiid thinks these Sixers have the right mix of youth, with Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe, and veteran experience. He wants to start fast and get as much practice time as possible with this group. Some of that has already happened, with Maxey and James’ close training partnership.

    “It’s hard to win, man,” Embiid said. “You need that consistency, you need to get guys on the same page. I feel like this year, we have that.”

  • Yes, the Iverson-era black Sixers jerseys are back. Here’s what else LeBron James and Co. will be wearing.

    Yes, the Iverson-era black Sixers jerseys are back. Here’s what else LeBron James and Co. will be wearing.

    On Monday, the Sixers announced the team’s six-uniform rotation.

    One of the uniforms revealed is the Iverson-era black alternate uniform. Last season, the Sixers wore the “Hardwood Classic” uniforms to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the 2001 Finals team.

    Before the announcement, it was widely speculated that the Sixers were not bringing back the fan-favorite jerseys. Previously, the NBA had limited its teams to a five-uniform rotation, and classic uniforms were worn only to commemorate anniversaries. The inclusion of the black alternates infringes on both of these norms.

    The team also announced a new jersey patch partnership with Bloom Energy — a maker of off-grid electric plants.

    Here are the six jerseys the Sixers will wear this season:

    White ‘Home’

    It might be disingenuous to call the Sixers’ white uniforms the team’s “home” colors. A decade ago, it would be difficult to find an NBA team not wearing white at home. However, after Nike took over the league’s apparel, the number of uniforms per team skyrocketed. Many teams, including the Sixers, now look to wear their flashier uniforms in front of their home crowd.

    Sixers name Bloom Energy as new jersey patch sponsor

    With the Sixers boasting six jerseys, expect white to be seldom worn at Xfinity Mobile Arena.

    Blue ‘Away’

    Like “Home,” the “Away” designation for the Sixers blue jerseys does not have much meaning. From the team’s release, the trademark jerseys do not appear to have undergone any change. In 2023, the team debuted an enhanced drop shadow on the uniform’s text.

    ‘Hardwood Classic’

    Following the landmark acquisitions of Jaylen Brown and LeBron James, Sixers fans had two more requests: for longtime public-address announcer Matt Cord to un-retire and for the throwback black alternate jerseys to come back. They got both.

    Cord, who retired in May after 28 years, announced earlier this month he will return for a final season. Now, the Sixers are officially bringing back their Iverson-era “Hardwood Classic” uniforms. In a release, the Sixers noted that the uniforms will be “worn later in the season.”

    Allen Iverson famously steps over Tyronn Lue in Game 1 of 2001 Finals.Jerry Lodriguss

    Specter

    The only new uniforms in the Sixers’ rotation are the team’s Specter uniforms.

    Eight of the NBA’s oldest and storied franchises received the new uniforms: the Sixers, the Boston Celtics, the Los Angeles Lakers, the New York Knicks, the Atlanta Hawks, the Golden State Warriors, the Sacramento Kings, and the Detroit Pistons.

    The minimalist uniforms feature various spray paint designs. The Sixers uniform includes gold lettering and three faded stars, representing those present on the team’s logo. Nike also released a collection of streetwear in the same style.

    Jalen Brunson revels in his moment as the latest (and hilarious) host of NBC’s Saturday Night Live

    “This collection represents the next evolution of our partnership with Nike, redefining how team identity and basketball culture are expressed across the league,” Michael Brady, the NBA’s Global Head of Merchandise Partnerships and Business Affairs, said in a release. “By connecting what athletes wear on and around the court with how fans express their passion for the game, the collection brings a new energy and a modern look to NBA fandom.”

    The Sixers are reviving the “City Edition” uniform this season, made popular in 2017. PHILADELPHIA 76ERS

    City Edition

    The Sixers are bringing back the team’s 2017 City Edition uniforms in time for the nation’s 250th anniversary. The uniforms are inspired by the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

    Many social media users have described the uniforms as “cream-colored,” but they are actually the color of parchment paper, a nod to the United States’ founding document. The “Phila” emboldened on the jersey’s chest is written in signature style, similar to that of the founding fathers’ signatures.

    Why did LeBron James choose the Sixers? A phone call from Tyrese Maxey certainly helped.

    Statement

    The final uniforms in the Sixers rotation are the team’s red statement uniforms.

    The statement uniforms debuted in 2017 after Nike took the reins over from Adidas. The first iteration of the Sixers’ statement uniforms featured a cursive “Sixers” printed on the jersey’s chest. At the time, many social media users pointed out that the text appeared to read “Suxers.”

    Whether that misunderstanding changed the minds of Nike executives or not, the uniforms were changed to feature “Phila” in 2019. The uniforms have not changed since and have stayed in the team’s rotation.

    Some fans claim the uniforms are cursed as the team has suffered multiple playoff losses in them. Most notably, the Sixers were wearing their statement threads when the Toronto Raptors’ Kawhi Leonard drained a miraculous shot at the buzzer in Game 7 of the 2019 conference semifinals.

    Follow the Inquirer’s complete coverage of Sixers right here!