Josh Hart had one question when Jalen Brunson opened the floor during his Saturday Night Live monologue: Was the $113 million his former Villanova teammate passed up to stay with the Knicks still up for grabs?
Hart and Mikal Bridges later joined Brunson onstage, reuniting Villanova’s championship trio in Studio 8H.
Brunson hosted Saturday’s season premiere three months after leading the Knicks to their first NBA championship since 1973. Hart and Bridges were seated in the audience with teammates Karl-Anthony Towns and O.G. Anunoby when Brunson invited questions.
Towns asked whether he could foul out of SNL. Anunoby reminded Brunson of a missed shot that Anunoby tipped in to win Game 4 of the NBA Finals. Bridges wanted Brunson to acknowledge his long arms, then lamented that he would never be able to fly.
Hart’s $113 million joke referred to the extension Brunson signed in 2024. The four-year, $156.5 million deal was roughly $113 million less than a five-year extension he could have sought by waiting until 2025. After answering Hart, Brunson asked why Hart had poked him during a Knicks celebration.
Video: First look at LeBron James in a Sixers uniform
Hart’s explanation was simple: “Because it was funny.”
The three former Wildcats won the 2016 national championship together. Brunson and Bridges added another Villanova title in 2018, after Hart had left for the NBA.
A decade after their first championship together, all three were starters on the Knicks’ title run.
Brunson opened the monologue with a promise about his hosting performance.
Former Villanova star and New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson was the host of “Saturday Night Live” this past week.Rosalind O'Connor
“The first three quarters of the show are going to be god-awful,” he said. “The last sketch is going to be amazing.”
Basketball followed him into his sketches. In “Office MVP,” Brunson played a coworker who kept finding reasons for one more attempt to toss a wrapper into a trash can. “North High” put him on a school basketball team in a High School Musical parody.
The show found other ways to bring Brunson’s basketball life into the episode. In “Office MVP,” a meeting stalled when his character missed a shot into a trash can. He insisted there was still one second on an imaginary clock, then kept resetting it for another attempt.
When a coworker thought he had run out of crumpled wrappers, he produced a basket full of them. Eventually, he revealed that the man struggling with an office wastebasket was Brunson.
“North High” gave him a different opponent. Playing a transfer student in a High School Musical parody, Brunson joined a basketball team led by a student who expected to be the star. Brunson outplayed him on the court. When the student turned to singing, Brunson showed him up there, too, and won over his girlfriend.
The night’s final sketch, “Old Friend,” brought another Philadelphia basketball connection into view.
"Fun fact: there was a blower in the garbage can, making it literally impossible for Jalen to score until the final shot …
We had two sets of cue cards for the ending — one if he made it, and one if he missed. He miss at dress but hit the shot ON AIR … because Jalen Brunson is…
Brunson played himself in a locker room as Kenan Thompson approached him, claiming to be a coach from his childhood. Another stranger claimed to be his father. Brunson rejected that story with a joke about his real father’s bald head.
His father, Rick Brunson, is an assistant coach with the Knicks and a former Temple guard. He played for John Chaney alongside Aaron McKie and Eddie Jones and entered Temple’s athletics Hall of Fame in 2011. The Temple connection stayed beneath the sketch’s joke, just as the Villanova connection did during the monologue.
Thompson had appeared earlier in the show as Stephen A. Smith, delivering a lengthy apology for doubting Brunson when he signed with New York. Brunson cut him off before taking questions from his teammates.
Jalen Brunson, seen here battling with the Sixers’ Kelly Oubre, led the Knicks to the NBA title. Monica Herndon / Staff Photographer
He also looked ahead to returning to Madison Square Garden, joking that it was the spot where Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce had gotten married.
Brunson became the fifth NBA player to host SNL, following Bill Russell, Michael Jordan, Charles Barkley, and LeBron James. James was the last active NBA player to host in 2007.
For Brunson, the television appearance came just before another opening night: The Knicks begin their title defense against the Sixers on Oct. 20 at Madison Square Garden.
The Sixers’ first preseason game is Oct. 5 against the New York Knicks at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Philly will kick off the regular season Oct. 20 against the Knicks at Madison Square Garden.
// Pinned
// Timestamp 09/28/26 4:43pm
LeBron James’ goal in Philly is clear: ‘I didn’t leave my family to lose in the second round’
LeBron James donned a Sixers jersey for the first time Monday. Jose F. Moreno / Staff Photographer
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 getting reacclimated 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.”
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.
“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.’”
Joel Embiid looks light, sounds optimistic about his new teammates and Sixers’ chances
Joel Embiid poses for a portrait during Sixers media day Monday. Jose F. Moreno / Staff Photographer
At the end of last season, Joel Embiid was optimistic about what a summer without a major injury could do for the Sixers heading into next year.
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.
“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 visibly 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 at media day at the Sixers Training Complex in Camden, N.J. Monday.Jessica Griffin / Staff Photographer(Left to Right) Jaylen Brown, LeBron James, Joel Embiid, and Tyrese Maxey during a photo session. Jessica Griffin / Staff PhotographerAdem Bona with Franklin during Sixers media day. Jessica Griffin / Staff PhotographerLeBron James during an interview at Sixers media day. Jessica Griffin / Staff PhotographerTyrese Maxey poses during Sixers media day.Jessica Griffin / Staff Photographer
// Timestamp 09/28/26 2:52pm
LeBron focused on ‘living in the moment’
Video: LeBron James is focused on ‘living in the moment’ with the Sixers
LeBron James ultimately picked Philly, but he was close to joining the Knicks. Gabriela Carroll /
During LeBron James’ free-agency process, his agent, Klutch CEO Rich Paul, hinted that the hall of famer would’ve seriously considered joining the New York Knicks if they didn’t win the 2026 NBA title.
“I had visions of playing in [Madison Square] Garden and finishing my career in the Garden,” James told ESPN. “One of the best places I’ve ever played. I think it’s the No. 1 arena in the world, as far as for a basketball player. But after they beat San Antonio, I was like, ‘Hey, I can’t.’ I couldn’t do it.”
So that’s one big question answered. Another that has percolated since James joined the Sixers is where he plans to live. There were rumors that he would live in New York City and commute to Philly and even discussions about him taking a helicopter to practices and games.
Asked where he will keep a residence, James didn’t commit to one city.
During Jaylen Brown’s first press conference in Philadelphia in July, he mentioned the Sixers’ group chat was already up and active as the new teammates got to know one another. VJ Edgecombe wanted to make sure everyone knew it was his idea.
“You know who really initiated the group chat? I did,” Edgecombe said.
When the Sixers traded for Jaylen Brown, Edgecombe told Tyrese Maxey that the two of them, plus Brown and Joel Embiid, should be in a group chat together.
“Then LeBron came, and obviously I don’t got LeBron James’ number,” Edgecombe said. “I can’t say, ‘go add Bron to the group chat?’ Besides, even if I had his number, why would I randomly add LeBron to a group chat? You get what I’m saying? So I told Tyrese to do it.”
Maxey, of course, has a close relationship with James, and played a key role in recruiting him to Philadelphia. The two frequently train together in LA over the summer.
“‘Rese did it, but it was my idea,” Edgecombe said. “Anyone who tells you it was their idea, they’re lying.”
VJ Edgecombe was getting a pedicure during the Jaylen Brown trade
VJ Edgecombe was getting a pedicure when he heard about the Jaylen Brown trade. "He don't answer the phone when I call, but I've got to get there. Sometimes you've got to earn the privilege," Edgecombe joked about his relationship with Brown.
When Jaylen Brown threw a goodbye “block party” in Boston this summer, the mayor and other elected officials came out to thank Brown for his service to the community.
When he came to the Sixers in a surprise trade this summer, he intentionally held his press conference at a Boys and Girls Club in Philadelphia, a signal of his intent to become active in the community, something that has been a passion for Brown throughout his career and something he touched in his comments at media day.
“What I value is the human connection, to be able to bring people together, uplift your community, and inspire people,” Brown said. “What I always preach is athletes are more than line items or stats on a sheet. I preach the human connection, how you uplift the community and bring people together. … I think we’re getting away from that.”
His media day comments were a mix of questions about on- and off-the-court activities this summer. When asked a question that touched on who might be the “alpha” of the Sixers, or if that even mattered on a team like this, Brown just responded, “Next question.”
In other answers, he emphasized the importance of defense while saying he wasn’t sure if his championship experience in Boston would carry over to Philadelphia.
“I’m not so sure if that’s true. It’s a new group,” Brown said. “I’m approaching this with an empty slate. Coming in every single day and trying to maximize every opportunity. Not taking anything for granted. I don’t have, I wouldn’t say expectations. You just got to come in and get ready to work. Create a winning environment and see where that takes you. I’m not sure if things in the past will help you. They may.”
Tyrese Maxey’s recruitment of LeBron James started years ago.
Maxey spent time in the gym with James prior to his rookie season and admitted that he shot a text to James a few years ago even though it was clear the 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.”
Those moments paid off this summer. When the Sixers added Jaylen Brown and James made it clear he wouldn’t return to Los Angeles, things turned a bit 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.
“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.
“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.
Kidding or not, that answer was in line with a summer in which Embiid said he purposefully maintained a low profile and worked on his body. Continuing his trend of potentially trolling answers, Embiid said he “gained” a lot of weight, even as he looks noticeably trimmer.
“Just want to stay out of the way, focus on what I need to be focused on, which is basketball,” Embiid said. “And I got my family, and especially since I became a father and got married, just be me. Stay out of the way, enjoy my family, and take care of what I need to be taking care of on a daily basis, that’s what I did this summer.”
Embiid is healthy coming into the season, and his health will be a constant point of conversation throughout the season if the Sixers are going to be true title contenders. He mentioned the team and he “got a plan and we gonna execute it.”
When asked about adding Jaylen Brown, Embiid said: “I was excited because you’re getting a guy — First Team All-NBA. 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.”
LeBron: Tyrese Maxey was ‘one of the main deciding factors’ in coming to Philly
LeBron James speaks to reporters at Sixers media day Monday.Ariel Simpson / staff
When LeBron James was choosing among what he said was five teams in free agency, a primary factor in his decision to choose was his relationship with guard Tyrese Maxey.
The two have worked out together and became close through their association with James’ agency, Klutch Sports.
“Great relationship with Tyrese and we talked a lot,” James said. “I picked his brain a lot about not only where he sees his career going, where he sees the franchise going and how much he believes in the franchise and if I were to come here, how would I fit in, would it be a plus or a negative.”
James mentioned that it wasn’t just one conversation he had with Maxey about where he fits on the team and in the locker room, and in terms of his personality.
“I was just asking all the questions I could ask him and it wasn’t just one conversation,” James said. “… When I broke all the teams down that I could possibly play for, he was one of the main deciding factors.”
LeBron on Philly fans: "We respect you, but we hate you. I love that. I thrive in that… We're going to be on the same side now. I need a little hate, so I hope we get a few people who aren't real Philly fans so I can get that tension."
LeBron on Philly fans: "They know sports, they know ball, if you're not doing what you're supposed to do, they're going to let you hear it. They're going to hold you accountable."
He realizes that by coming to Philadelphia and joining a roster as talent-rich as the Sixers, there’s going to be a lot of “noise.”
And that was going to be “doubled, tripled and quadrupled” with him in town. So when the team goes through predictable tough stretches of the season, he’s ready to deal with that attention. But as James stated in his opening news conference, “the noise is just the noise.”
Among the things James said that has impressed him so far is that “everybody is on the same page.” That he thinks the team will be able to have the kind of communication needed to bring together a team that hasn’t played together previously.
When asked how his game may fit in with this team, James wasn’t shy.
“The luxury of my game is I can do everything. Literally, I can do everything.”
Howdy from Sixers media day, where the parking lot at the practice facility was more crowded than I’ve ever seen it more than an hour before press conferences begin. pic.twitter.com/DRb5Rgm5ob
Sixers media day to feature LeBron James, Jaylen Brown, and more
The Sixers will hold their annual media day Monday morning at 11 a.m., which has just a bit more juice this year thanks to the addition of LeBron James.
Monday will also be the first time Philly fans hear from Jaylen Brown, who the team landed in an offseason trade with the Boston Celtics. And Joel Embiid will speak to reporters for the first time since his team has been transformed into a top Eastern Conference contender.
Bloom Energy patch on a Sixers jerseyCourtesy of the 76ers
The Sixers announced a new jersey patch partnership with Bloom Energy.
In a release, the Sixers said the deal will be “one of the most comprehensive and impactful patch partnership deals in the NBA.” One of Bloom Energy’s largest manufacturing hubs is located in Newark, Del., and as part of the partnership, the company will sponsor the Delaware Blue Coats’ jerseys.
The Sixers partnered with Crypto.com for six seasons beginning in 2021. No terms were ever officially announced, but reports at the time suggested the deal ran for six years, which would bring the deal to the end of 2026-27.
The Sixers also announced their full slate of jerseys, which included the return of their black uniforms and a new look with stars and the word “Sixers” in small print across the top of the chest.
the Sixers unveil their new jersey patch partner Bloom Energy and their slate of 2026-27 jerseys: pic.twitter.com/7zmynKyf1S
LeBron’s move to Philly caused some sticker shock for Sixers fans seeking tickets
Sixers fans shown during a playoff game in May at Xfinity Mobile ArenaMonica Herndon / Staff Photographer
It should come as no surprise that 76ers tickets will be significantly more expensive this season after the massive additions of LeBron James and Jaylen Brown.
But Thursday’s single-game ticket drop and the earlier presale for season-ticket holders still caused a bit of sticker shock for fans.
Single-game ticket prices started at $75 before fees for upper-deck seating, which bumped the final tally up to $88 with fees.
However, that base-level price was only available for six of the Sixers’ 41 home games at point-of-sale. Those include games against the Bulls (Nov. 2), Raptors (Nov. 12), Grizzlies (Dec. 1), Wizards (Jan. 12), Clippers (Jan. 25), and Hawks (April 4).
For marquee games, including games against the Knicks and the home opener against Cleveland on Oct. 22, primary ticket prices started at $320.
For years, the Sixers searched for a solution to Knicks fans taking over Xfinity Mobile Arena. In the playoffs in 2024 and 2026, everyone from Joel Embiid to Sixers ownership to Fanatics owner Michael Rubin pitched in to fill the arena with Sixers fans, to no avail.
At Madison Square Garden, faced with similar fan complaints of price gouging (opening-night Knicks vs. Sixers tickets were running fans upward of $1,000 just to get in the building), Knicks ownership paused single-game ticket sales, apologized, and said that “mistakes” had been made in pricing the tickets.
“We are rolling back to last year’s prices plus an average increase of 12 percent,” the team said in a release.
LeBron James (left) said his relationship with Tyrese Maxey is much bigger than basketball.Chris Szagola / AP
LeBron James got his first taste of Philadelphia in his senior year of high school when he played at the Palestra.
James spoke about his decision to join Philadelphia on the first episode of season four of his Mind the Game podcast with Hall of Famer Steve Nash released on Friday, including a big recruiting role played by Tyrese Maxey.
“When I became a free agent and we decided to let the Lakers know that I wouldn’t be returning, he was one of the first people that was on my line,” James said. “Calling me, ‘Yo, what we doing? Yo, what’s up OG? Come on down here, we could use you down here.’”
James said he and Maxey have a relationship that extends beyond the basketball court, which played a big role in his decision to join the Sixers. Maxey even used to play video games with James’ sons, Bronny and Bryce, when he was 19.
“I just love everything about Tyrese Maxey,” James said. “Every day you get the same person, and that is very rare in sports and obviously super rare in life. And obviously we know what he brings to the basketball court.”
The Sixers’ trade for Jaylen Brown also caught James’ attention, but the final piece for James was Joel Embiid, who he said was “one of the most important” parts of his decision.
“He’s done everything in our league, and the only thing he has not done is win a championship,” James said. “I want to try to help him get that first one. He has the city on his back. I hope I can be that final little piece that can help him get over the hump.”
The logo of Bloom Energy, maker of mini-power plants, is replacing Crypto.comon theSixers’ uniform advertising patch this season.
Bloom Energy is hiring and trying to raise its local profile, said vice president Barry Sharpe, who runs the company’s plant in Newark, Del. Bloom has stepped up recruiting in nearby Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Maryland.
So what exactly is Bloom Energy, and why are they supporting the Sixers?
Bloomis based in San Jose, but its biggest employee center is the Newark factory, which has languished for years butsuddenly became profitable in 2025. That’s when Bloom began selling its modular, off-grid electric plants to power-starved high-speed artificial intelligence data centers.
The Newark plant, where 1,200 of Bloom’s 2,200 employees work, makes fuel cells, an update of 1800s technology that presses natural gas or other hydrogen-based fuels through battery-like metal plates at superhot temperatures to generate electricity — at temperatures of around 800 degrees Celsius (about 1470 degrees Fahrenheit).
Fuel cells run independent of electric-power grids, which can take years to grantapproval for new plants to power data centers.
AI data centers built for Oracle, Microsoft, Intel, and other giants, including the DataOne center in Vineland, have been placing orders with Bloom. That’shelped pack the Newark plant with a production backlog, new hires, and new robots.
Bloom offers “reliable, clean power that can be quickly deployed andeasily scaled,” Oracle Cloud Infrastructure executive vice president Mahesh Thiagarajan said in a statement.
Bloom joined the S&P 500 list of the most-valuable U.S. companies last week.
The Newark plant is located among labs and offices that have sprung up between I-95 and the University of Delaware. A warehouse, a repair center, and other Bloom structures line a nearby road.
Besides data centers, Bloom says its boxes help power Urban Outfitters’ headquarters at the Navy Yard, as well asCoherent Corp.’s data center and telecom-equipment factories in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Bloom also sells power to PSE&G in New Jersey and to Delmarva Power in Delaware — whose customers continue to paymonthly surcharges that cover certain Bloom costs, as part ofthe deal that brought the factory to Newark.
A sudden boom
Though the company opened the Newark plant in 2012 with state aid and went public in 2018, Bloom Energy lost money and its stock price languished below its original offering price.
The new ordershave boosted Bloom’s share price from under $20 to around $300. As of Friday, the company was worth $85 billion on the stock market, more than Comcast or General Motors.
Short-sellers and subsidy critics have warned that Bloom’s data-center orders may not come in on schedule, or at all; that fuel cells aren’t always as efficient as claimed; and that the company’s proprietary metal-and-ceramic fuel-cell cores depend on specialized materials that are hard to find from U.S. sources.
But even as Oracle and other data-center boom stocks falter, Bloom shares have stayed close to their bullish high. On Friday, Bloom closed at $288.70.
Bloom has a smaller plant near its Silicon Valley headquarters. “We like to say that California builds the [fuel cell] engines; Delaware builds the cars,” Sharpe said, referring tothe 30-foot-long, 8-foot-high, 4-foot-wide modular boxes installed on-site at users’ locations. Sharpe, a former Ford and Toyota executive, has run the Newark plant since 2012.
Each 325-kilowatt, 13-ton cell group is housed in one of the metal boxes made in Delaware. As local power sources, they enable data centers to open without tapping the strained U.S. electric grid. As they wear down, the cylindrical fuel cells in these Bloom boxes are swapped out for easy replacement without shutting the system.
The Newark plant was built in anticipation of rapid growth that took more than a decade to materialize. Sharpe said the plant has only recently reached its limit, with the addition of an automated welding line that will enable a single controller to join plates, instead of the three-worker welding crews.
The company is making plans for a 125,000-square-foot addition.
How it started
Bloom was founded in 2001 by University of Arizona rocket scientist KR Shridhar, who remains the CEO. Early investors included Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, a Silicon Valley venture capital firm. Kleiner Perkins helped secure government funding from the Barack Obama administration and state governments for energy projects that offered less-polluting alternatives than burning coal, oil, or gas.
Then-Delaware Gov. Jack Markell was eager to replace lost Chrysler, GM, and DuPont Co. factory jobs in the state.Delaware power users have contributed over $200 million to their power company to cover certain Bloom costs — more than Bloom’s total profits to date — under a 21-year contract critics have failed to end in legal and regulatory challenges.
The first wave of Bloom Energy customers included Walmart, JPMorgan, and other image-conscious companies that wanted credit for burning less carbon. Delmarva Power, the local utility, also uses some Bloom cells.
The assembly plant stood partly empty for its first decade, with a fraction of the projected workforce. In 2019, Bloom had to return a slice of its subsidy because it employed just 300 in Delaware, a third of its targeted 900.
The company has now passed that target and won’t have to repay more, Bloom officials say.
The Sixers announced a new jersey patch partnership with Bloom Energy.
In a release, the Sixers said the deal will be “one of the most comprehensive and impactful patch partnership deals in the NBA.” One of Bloom Energy’s largest manufacturing hubs is located in Newark, Del., and as part of the partnership, the company will sponsor the Delaware Blue Coats’ jerseys.
The deal also includes a seven-figure charitable investment in the greater Philadelphia area, participating in several Sixers community initiatives like the court resurfacing and the Jr. Sixers Summer Hoops tour.
The Bloom Energy logo will feature on all of the Sixers’ jerseys.
The Sixers partnered with Crypto.com for six seasons beginning in 2021. No terms were ever officially announced, but reports at the time suggested that the deal ran for six years, which would bring the deal to the end of 2026-27.
The Sixers also announced their full slate of jerseys, which included the return of their black uniforms and a new look with stars and the word “Sixers” in small print across the top of the chest.
the Sixers unveil their new jersey patch partner Bloom Energy and their slate of 2026-27 jerseys: pic.twitter.com/7zmynKyf1S
LeBron James got his first taste of Philadelphia in his senior year of high school when he played at the Palestra.
Now, he’ll be calling the city home after signing a two-year, $8 million deal to presumably finish his legendary career with the Sixers. James spoke about his decision to join Philadelphia on the first episode of season four of his Mind the Game podcast with Hall of Famer Steve Nash that was released on Friday.
Why Philly?
James doesn’t answer many phone calls, but he always picks up when Sixers point guard Tyrese Maxey rings.
“When I became a free agent and we decided to let the Lakers know that I wouldn’t be returning, he was one of the first people that was on my line,” James said. “Calling me, ‘Yo, what we doing? Yo, what’s up OG? Come on down here, we could use you down here.’”
James said he and Maxey have a relationship that extends beyond the basketball court, which played a big role in his decision to join the Sixers. Maxey even used to play video games with James’ sons, Bronny and Bryce, when he was 19.
LeBron James credited Tyrese Maxey with playing a large role in bringing him to Philly. Bill Streicher, Bill Streicher-I
“I just love everything about Tyrese Maxey,” James said. “Every day you get the same person, and that is very rare in sports and obviously super rare in life. And obviously we know what he brings to the basketball court.”
The Sixers’ trade for Jaylen Brown also caught James’ attention, but the final piece for James was Joel Embiid, who he said was “one of the most important” parts of his decision.
“He’s done everything in our league, and the only thing he has not done is win a championship,” James said. “I want to try to help him get that first one. He has the city on his back. I hope I can be that final little piece that can help him get over the hump.”
After the Lakers were swept by the Oklahoma City Thunder in the second round of the 2026 NBA playoffs, James felt good, but he spent a lot of time thinking about whether it was the end for him.
He took roughly six weeks off basketball and felt his body responded well, while his mind responded even better than it did last offseason.
“I’ve always told myself, if I feel like I can’t put in the process of waking up and training the body and training the mind and I feel good after I do that on a consistent basis, then I know for sure that I’m done,” James said.
James’ family was supportive of his decision, even encouraging him to play another year. And he’s still in love with his pursuit of defying the odds.
“If you still have an opportunity to do what you love, then why just say, ‘I’m done?’” James said. “I think that’s what it came down to.”
James’ love for Maxey is clear, but he also had praise for Brown and VJ Edgecombe
James feels Brown is “misunderstood” as a person, as he’s more outspoken than many NBA stars. They have worked out “three or four times this offseason.”
“Any time someone kind of moves to their own beat, it makes people uncomfortable,” James said. “When it becomes misunderstood, then it becomes intimidating. … We’re two of the guys on the team that’s been through the foxhole and been through the ringer.”
Sixers star Jaylen Brown shakes hands with president of basketball operations Mike Gansey as managing partner Josh Harris looks on at Brown’s introductory press conference in August.Monica Herndon / Staff Photographer
As for Edgecombe, James’ “intel” has told him the 21-year-old is wise “beyond his years” and was one of the leaders of last year’s team.
“He speaks with an intelligent confidence,” James said. “Works extremely hard. He’s a flat-out player. There’s no reason he shouldn’t be able to be contending for an all-defensive team this year. He has all the tools.”
Are the Sixers a superteam?
There is plenty of noise surrounding the Sixers now that James and Brown have joined the team, but James isn’t quite ready to call his new squad a “superteam.”
“A championship is not guaranteed,” James said. “What we control is how we show up to work.”
Although Maxey, Embiid, and Edgecombe have played together, James knows it’s going to take time for the unit to click. He said “there’s going to be trial and error” and added that he’s new to Philadelphia and its surroundings.
James also hopes the Sixers face some adversity throughout the season so they can grow closer.
“I hope we go through a three-game losing streak,” James said. “We have to be able to go through some real-life battle moments in the fight to know who we are and what we want to become. We got to peel the onion.”
The Sixers haven’t won a ring since 1983, the year before James was born, but he hopes they can change that.
“We want a team that can compete for a championship,” James said. “And I think the city of Philly wants that. This is the city of champions.”
The Sixers are moving their Blue X White scrimmage to Xfinity Mobile Arena for the first time ever.
After a summer of big moves that have led to historic demand for Sixers basketball, fans will get their first chance to see new stars LeBron James and Jaylen Brown in action on the court at noon on Oct. 3 at Xfinity Mobile.
Admission will require a $10 donation to the Sixers Youth Foundation, similar to the Eagles’ $10 annual open practice at Lincoln Financial Field. Season-ticket holders will have first access, followed by a general on-sale allotment on Monday, Sept. 28 at 3 p.m. The Sixers will also donate 5,000 tickets to Sixers Youth Foundation grantees. Parking will be complimentary.
The event will kick off with a pregame fan festival outside the arena, which will include giveaways, shooting challenges, and more starting at 9:30 a.m. before the scrimmage.
In previous years, the scrimmage was hosted in Wilmington at the home of the Blue Coats, the Sixers’ G League affiliate. But the unprecedented demand — including unprecedented regular-season ticket prices — led to the expanded interest and capacity for this year’s scrimmage, in collaboration with new team sponsor BodyArmor.
A wild 76ers offseason is nearing its end, after they stunningly signed LeBron James and traded for Jaylen Brown to vault into championship contender status. Media day is Monday, with training camp beginning Tuesday prior to an Oct. 20 opener at the defending champion New York Knicks.
To help Sixers followers get acquainted with the newcomers on this revamped roster, The Inquirer reached out to reporters who covered those players on their previous teams.
Next up is Rose Garden Report’s Sean Highkin, who covered Anfernee Simons’ tenure with the Portland Trail Blazers.
Gina Mizell: Simons’ three-point shooting is obviously what initially sticks out about his skill set. How did he develop into such a dangerous, high-volume threat?
SH: A combination of his own work ethic and some osmosis. In the same way that CJ McCollum picked up a lot of parts of Damian Lillard’s game from playing next to/behind him early on, and eventually developed into a reasonable facsimile of that type of player, that’s what a lot of Simons’ offensive development has been.
GM: How big of an issue is his defense, especially when he could spend time playing alongside fellow small guards Tyrese Maxey and/or Labaron Philon Jr. with the Sixers?
SH: The defense is definitely a liability, but the role and expectations are very different in Philly than they were here. In Portland, he was making big money and expecting to start and be the veteran on a young team and play over 30 minutes a game, so his deficiencies on that end were a lot more noticeable. He’s going to be a bench player making less than mid-level money in Philadelphia whose job is to come in and score, so the defense is something you can live with a little more.
GM: Where did Simons’ game most progress during his Blazers stint? Were there any aspects that did not progress as much as you expected?
SH: The bones of what his game became were there when he was drafted. The difference has been his confidence and efficiency as a scorer improving as he got bigger opportunities.
LeBron James, center, and guard Anfernee Simons, right, are now both members of the Sixers. Troy Wayrynen, Troy Wayrynen-Ima
GM: What did you observe from afar in how his game has translated since leaving Portland, particularly while fitting into that terrific Celtics regular season?
SH: He’s the same player that he was in Portland, but his role in Boston (which will presumably be the same in Philly) is a lot closer to what he should be than what he was expected to be here. Is he a starting lead guard on a contending team? No. Is he a great bench scorer on a team with those expectations? Absolutely.
GM: What’s he like as a teammate and locker-room personality?
SH: He’s a really good guy, very low-maintenance. Not the most vocal leader, but someone everybody respects because they know the work he puts in, and he’s become much more comfortable being vocal as he’s gotten older. He’ll fit right in. On a team with so many voices that command so much attention like LeBron, Jaylen, Embiid and Maxey, he doesn’t have to do any of the “leader” stuff.
Whatever plans you have this weekend, cancel them. There are more important things going on.
Starting this weekend, all five major pro sports in Philly will have major things going on that carry into the week ahead.
From sitting on the brink of another Red October to welcoming Philly’s newest superstar, here is what all five Philly teams have on the horizon:
Phillies
There is no phrase more indicative of the Phillies’ season than “the ebbs and flows of baseball.” This season, which started with a 9-19 record for the club’s worst 28-game start with Rob Thomson at the helm, has evolved into an 87-71 season under interim manager Don Mattingly.
Just like when Thomson took over for Girardi in 2022 and led the Phillies to the postseason for the first time in 11 years, Mattingly is on the cusp of leading the Phillies to the postseason after taking over for Thomson, who was fired on April 28.
With a magic number of two going into Thursday’s games, the most direct path to a postseason berth is a Phillies win and Diamondbacks or Padres loss. Sitting in the third and final NL wild card spot at the beginning of the day Thursday, the Phillies can lock in their fifth consecutive postseason.
window.addEventListener(“message”,function(a){if(void 0!==a.data[“datawrapper-height”]){var e=document.querySelectorAll(“iframe”);for(var t in a.data[“datawrapper-height”])for(var r,i=0;r=e[i];i++)if(r.contentWindow===a.source){var d=a.data[“datawrapper-height”][t]+”px”;r.style.height=d}}});
Eagles
After starting the season 2-0 with two- and four-point wins over the Washington Commanders and Tennessee Titans, respectively, the Eagles are gearing up for Monday Night Football in Week 3.
As the Birds head to Chicago to take on the Bears (8:15 p.m., 6abc, ESPN), many questions surround the game, including the status of Bears quarterback Caleb Williams, who is listed as doubtful with a hamstring injury.
While Williams is week to week for the Bears (1-1), Eagles tight end Dallas Goedert is expected to be out for multiple weeks with an MCL injury. Enter Zach Ertz, who played eight-plus seasons with the Eagles and was signed to the practice squad on Monday.
Ertz, 35, was a free agent recovering from a torn ACL, LCL, and hamstring suffered in December 2025. Now back in green, Ertz is just 11 catches from breaking Harold Carmichael’s franchise career catch record.
76ers
No king is official without a coronation, and LeBron James is getting his Monday when he’s expected to speak for the first time as a 76er.
After a long-awaited decision, “King James” signed a two-year, $8 million contract with the Sixers on July 24, but he hasn’t had any public appearances with the team yet. However, the team will have its media day Monday, marking James’ anticipated first appearance and first time speaking as a part of the Sixers organization.
Video: Jaylen Brown on Philly fans: ‘The fan base here is incredible’
Flyers
Last season, what many expected to be another year of rebuilding for the Flyers ended in the second round of the playoffs after being swept by the eventual Stanley Cup champions, the Carolina Hurricanes.
Now, the hype around the Orange and Black has been established and is carrying into the team’s season opener Wednesday at Xfinity Mobile Arena when they take on the cross-state rival Pittsburgh Penguins after eliminating them in first round of last season’s playoffs, four games to two.
Eyes are on goalie Dan Vladař, who played a big role in the Flyers’ success last season but left Tuesday’s preseason 5-1 loss to the Bruins with an upper-body injury. Porter Martone, the 19-year-old right winger who played nine regular-season games and all 10 playoff games, also brings his own level of fanfare to the team.
This summer was big for soccer in Philadelphia as it hosted six World Cup games. But even after the tourists retreated and Philadelphia Stadium became Lincoln Financial Field again, soccer has remained relevant in the city.
Sullivan, Pierre, and Westfield could make their USMNT debuts Saturday vs. Peru in Orlando (4:30 p.m., TNT). Meanwhile, the Union will look to improve to an unbeaten streak of 12 when they host Orlando City at Subaru Park on Saturday.
Union star Cavan Sullivan (front) is in his first camp with the senior U.S. men’s national team.Jonathan Tannenwald
Standing out front of Faheem’s Hand of Precision, located on South 20th Street, Sixers guard Tyrese Maxey recalled sitting on his front steps “like a bad kid.” During his second year in Philly, the two-time All-Star would walk across the street to get hot chips, watch a young kid from the neighborhood ride his dirt bike back and forth, and see kids on the bus passing by banging on their windows to get his attention.
Fast forward five years and Maxey was back on his old stomping grounds on Wednesday to promote the upcoming release of his signature New Balance sneaker, the Maxey v1s.
“I went and got a haircut and sat on those steps and talked to people that walked by,” Maxey said. “I came through here during the times of 5, 6 p.m. where the whole block, everybody is here. … This is a place of comfort. This is a place of family. It means a lot.”
Faheem Alexander, Maxey’s barber, has owned the shop for 26 years. Inside, the walls are decorated with photos of Alexander with celebrities like Tiffany Haddish and Tracy Morgan.
However, there’s still no photo of Maxey and Alexander hanging up — yet.
“I have a spot cleared out for him,” Alexander said. “That’s my foundation pic. I want everybody to come in and see the picture. It’s been amazing to see him grow, from a fresh-faced 18-, 19-year-old kid, to now, he’s a father [at] 25 years old. … It’s just easy. He’s a beautiful person.”
Tyrese Maxey sits on the front step of his barbershop, Faheem’s Hands of Precision, while promoting his new signature sneakers.Monica Herndon / Staff Photographer
Maxey getting his own signature shoe is another example of the young guard’s rising star power. He signed a shoe deal with New Balance in 2023, joining players like Kawhi Leonard, Jamal Murray, and Zach LaVine. Since then, he’s starred in the brand’s “We Got Now” ad, and released the Tyrese Maxey Hero Pack — which is a collection inspired by Maxey’s love of comic books that included a basketball shoe, the New Balance Hesi Low v2, and a lifestyle shoe, the New Balance 1906R.
“I’m just feeling blessed, and thankful for the opportunity,” Maxey said. “And then the biggest thing, I just hope the people are as positive and happy about it as I am. I hope when they put them on, they get to have fun with them. I hope the shoe brings them joy, as much as it brings me. That’s the biggest thing I wish and hope for. And I’m glad to see it come to fruition now.”
Video: Tyrese Maxey takes a tour of his old Philly stomping grounds to promote new signature shoe
Maxey debuted his New Balance signature shoes in April during the Sixers’ 109-97 play-in game victory over the Orlando Magic that clinched the No. 7 seed in the Eastern Conference. Ahead of the sneaker’s release, Maxey visited three local Philly spots as a way to surprise fans.
His first stop was at Foot Locker, located on Chestnut Street, where he met with the workers and posed for photos with fans who spotted him through the window.
Tyrese Maxey stopped at Foot Locker on Chestnut Street to promote his new signature sneakers, the Maxey V1s.Monica Herndon / Staff Photographer
“I basically grew up here,” Maxey said. “I’ve been through all these places, these streets, everywhere. And that’s just me trying to be a good person and a good role model to the kids and the people in the city — making them smile. Philadelphia has really raised me and it’s really helped me become the person I am today and I’m very thankful.”
The second stop was at the cheesesteak spot Ishkabibble’s, located on South Street, where Maxey took pictures with the staff.
“Ishkabibble’s is important to me because it’s the first place I had a cheesesteak,” Maxey said. “Cheesesteaks are huge here. And now whenever I’m close to Ishkabibble’s, I always go stop in. I’ve taken everybody there that I know, pretty much, that come to town.”
As Maxey was leaving the shop, Carlos Deloatch, 54, and his wife Valencia Whitfield, 69, stopped him to chat about the upcoming season.
“Don’t let LeBron [James] come to our city and steal your shine,” Deloatch said.
Tyrese Maxey (center) talks with Carlos Deloatch (left) and Valencia Whitfield (right) while visiting Ishkabibble’s on Wednesday.Monica Herndon / Staff Photographer
“He came here to help,” Maxey responded with a smile.
“The biggest thing was trying to keep it a secret,” Maxey said. “There’s been a lot of times where people have asked me on the spot in interviews in live situations like ‘Hey, you think New Balance will give you a shoe?’ and I know the shoe is coming, but I can’t say anything. … That was one of the most entertaining parts.”
The 76ers added LeBron James and Jaylen Brown to a roster already featuring Joel Embiid. But ESPN’s latest NBA ranking still puts Tyrese Maxey ahead of them all — and leaves the Sixers without a player in its top 10.
Maxey landed at No. 11 in ESPN’s NBA Rank, released Wednesday, while Brown came in at No. 14, James at No. 18, and Embiid at No. 41. VJ Edgecombe ranked No. 72, giving the Sixers five projected starters among the league’s top 72 players.
ESPN asked its seven panelists to project each player’s contributions to the 2026-27 regular season, weighing quality and quantity of play. That distinction is especially relevant to Embiid, who averaged 26.9 points last season but appeared in only 38 games.
Maxey’s climb followed the best season of his career. He averaged 28.3 points and 6.6 assists in 70 games, earned third-team All-NBA honors, and rose 17 spots from No. 28 in last year’s ranking.
ESPN’s Dave McMenamin wrote that Maxey’s presence played a major role in James’s decision to sign with the Sixers. Brown, meanwhile, arrives after averaging a career-high 28.7 points for Boston and making the All-NBA second team. ESPN projects Maxey ahead of both newcomers as the three prepare to play together for the first time.
Embiid rose six spots from last year’s ranking, but his No. 41 placement still reflects questions about how often he will play. ESPN noted that he has appeared in 96 of a possible 246 games since winning MVP in 2023. While his scoring remains among the league’s best when he is available, the panel was projecting what he could contribute across a full regular season.
James’s drop carries its own historical weight. He ranked eighth last year, and No. 18 marks the first time he has fallen outside the top 10 in NBA Rank’s 15-year history. He enters his first season with the Sixers at 41 years old after taking on a facilitator role alongside Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves with the Lakers.
Even ESPN’s analysts disagreed about where James belongs. In a separate discussion of the rankings, Jamal Collier called No. 18 “questionable,” while Tim MacMahon considered it “fair.” Anthony Slater pointed to James’s placement behind Maxey and Brown as a sign of the adjustment awaiting him.
LeBron James, left, and Tyrese Maxey, right, are among the top 20 players on ESPN’s top 100 players. Chris Szagola / AP
Edgecombe made his first appearance on the list at No. 72 after averaging 16.0 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 4.2 assists as a rookie. He finished third in Rookie of the Year voting and ranked 11th in the NBA in minutes.
Paul George, whom the Sixers sent to Boston in the deal for Brown, landed at No. 67. That puts him 13 spots below last year’s ranking and 53 behind Brown on this year’s list.
The year-to-year changes come with a shift in ESPN’s process. Previous lists drew on player-vs.-player votes from more than 100 contributors; this year, ESPN combined top-100 ballots from seven panelists. The instruction to project regular-season contributions stayed the same.
Brown has acknowledged the adjustment ahead. At his introduction in August, he said the new teammates would need to sacrifice, trust, and communicate. “Winning is the agenda,” he said. Maxey may be ESPN’s highest-ranked Sixer, but the list cannot answer how often the five starters will play together or what each will give up when they do.
ESPN will reveal its top 10 on Thursday, with every member of the Sixers’ projected starting lineup accounted for. The Sixers open the season Oct. 20 against the reigning champion New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden (7 p.m., NBC10) — their first regular-season chance to see how those five fit together.
