At 16 years old, Bryce Harper was dubbed the “Chosen One” on the cover of Sports Illustrated.
Tom Verducci’s 2009 cover story invoked the nickname previously given to 17-year-old LeBron James on his 2002 SIcover and drew parallels between the two prodigies. Verducci went as far as calling Harper “Baseball’s LeBron.”
Nearly two decades later, Harper and James will play in the same city.
“One of the best to ever do it, being able to come in and enjoy that club over there. Obviously, they got good young group over there that are a lot of fun to play with,” Harper said. “So, really cool for the city, him coming.”
Harper added that he wasn’t surprised that James chose the 76ers.
“They’re really good,” he said.
The buzz around James’ two-year deal with the Sixers had reached the Phillies clubhouse ahead of Friday’s series opener against the Yankees. Hours after news of the contract broke, a screen outside Citizens Bank Park projected an image of James in a Sixers uniform with the message, “Welcome to Philly, LeBron!”
Excitement over the LeBron James decision permeated the city on Friday and made its way into the Phillies clubhouse as well. Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
Jhoan Duran, Bryson Stott, and Cristopher Sánchez were among the Phillies who posted images of James on their Instagram stories on Friday.
Trea Turner, a Boynton Beach, Fla. native, grew up a fan of the Miami Heat and watched James lead them to back-to-back championships. He said he was excited for those who haven’t had the chance to see James play get that opportunity.
“The additions have been crazy,” he said of the Sixers. “I felt like they had a good core, and adding [Jaylen] Brown and LeBron, I think it’s going to be pretty special. So hopefully they stay healthy and come together and win a bunch of games.”
Harper and James have met once at the ESPYs, an annual sports awards show produced by ESPN. In 2016, James beat out Harper, Cam Newton, and Steph Curry for Best Male Athlete.
Harper is now more than halfway through his 13-year, $330 million contract with the Phillies that then was the richest in North American sports. He had no advice to offer James — “he knows exactly what he needs to do,” Harper said — but wished him the best.
“Just obviously a great city to come play in fan base-wise, sports-wise, feel like the city’s in a really good spot with all the teams right now, from us, to the Sixers, to the Eagles, to the Flyers making postseason this year as well,” Harper said. “So just a really good spot to be in.”
Philadelphia is now officially under the rule of King James. And his newly minted subjects, it seems, couldn’t be happier.
LeBron James, the legendary NBA player and one of the most famous humans on the planet, is coming to Philly after having agreed to a two-year contract with the Sixers on Friday. The move, though one of the more improbable roster additions in franchise history, is real — and officially commemorated at the highest levels of state government.
“Pennsylvania is honored to welcome LeBron James to our Commonwealth as he joins the Philadelphia 76ers for his best season yet,” Gov. Josh Shapiro wrote in a proclamation declaring Friday, July 24, 2026, as LeBron James Day. The day, he added, would honor James’ “bright future in Philadelphia,” among other achievements and anticipations.
Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle L. Parker likewise welcomed the news, writing in a statement that the city would welcome James “into our One Philly Family with open arms and electric energy.”
“Trust me when I say: We are rolling out the welcoming mat starting Day One!” Parker said. “We cannot wait to see you shine on the court.”
Though months away from that debut on the court as a Sixer, James’ arrival to the team prompted a flurry of shock and support from fans and players alike, with seemingly every local establishment, institution, and celebrity offering a meme or message of disbelief. In fact, Philly’s pro athletes seemed among the most excited about James coming to town.
Eagles running back Saquon Barkley, for example, almost immediately extended a golf invite to James after the news broke, asking via social media when the forthcoming Sixer wanted to “tee up.” Sixers point guard Tyrese Maxey had a more primal reaction, simply posting a video of him screaming in excitement in a gym.
James himself, meanwhile, was more staid in explaining his decision via social media. After nearly two-dozen seasons in the NBA, James wrote, he thought he was done playing, but decided he continued to love the game and had more to give.
“I still want to sacrifice. I still want to work. I still want to grind. I still want to compete, to win and to have a chance at the feeling of winning another championship,” James wrote. “I believe I can help make the Philadelphia 76ers a championship team and I am so excited to energize a new fan base and start this incredible journey one last time.”
Some Sixers fans were beside themselves, with at least one ordering a Chantilly cake from Whole Foods to celebrate. Lydia Victor, a Northeast Philly graphic designer and sports content creator, had the bakery write “Trust the Process 23” in red frosting on top of the confection, and planned to cut it later in the day with her father, who went to college in Ohio, and is James’ biggest fan, she said.
Whether a James-led Sixers squad can actually win a championship was almost inconsequential Friday, though Victor already was designing plans to celebrate on Broad Street. The fact that James chose Philadelphia brought her more happiness than a championship (or potentially getting married or having kids) might. She likened the moment to Meredith Grey’s iconic monologue in the TV show Grey’s Anatomy imploring Derek Shepherd to choose her.
“It’s just the mindset that Philly isn’t always considered a big market and the national media usually counts us out when it comes to acquiring big-name free agents,” she said. But this time, things were different.
“We were picked!” she said.
Darnell Butts, 56, said there’s no way the Sixers would have landed James had former general manager Daryl Morey still been in charge. Butts was optimistic about the Sixers’ championship chances, and excited for the team’s younger stars to learn from a player he calls the greatest of all time. Butts said he wants to welcome James in Philly fashion.
“Get a Philly cheesesteak, it’s on Darnell Butts. Meet me at Reading Terminal,” he said.
The historic nature of the day was seemingly reflected in professional sports’ enduring fan barometer — merchandise sales. By early Friday afternoon, Fanatics said it was already sold out of some Sixers-branded James jerseys.
Within two hours of the news breaking, all first editions of the No. 23 jerseys were sold out on the Fanatics website. The adult royal blue, white, and red Swingman premium jerseys had been selling for $124.99, in line with the price of similar jerseys for other Sixers stars. Youth jerseys had also been available to preorder for $69.99.
Fanatics was also selling James’ 2026-2027 Topps trading card, the one he signed and posted on Instagram after announcing his decision to come to Philly. The cards were selling for between $11.99 for a single card and $169.99 for a 20-pack. Fanatics acquired Topps in 2022.
The company planned to add additional James merchandise in short order Friday.
July 24, however, would live on as a historic date, some fans said.
Raymond Davis took the train into 30th Street Station to play basketball at Schuylkill River Park. Before leaving his home in Mount Airy, he put on his Tyrese Maxey jersey to hoop in — not knowing James would sign with his favorite team shortly after.
Davis met up with a few friends on the way to Schuylkill River Park. One of them, Christopher Gaines, was just as excited as Davis and ready to write the day down in history books.
“The king of basketball’s coming to Philly — the city of sports — and this is like a great day, a great moment,” Davis said. “You know what? July 24, I will always remember as ‘King Bron Day’ — the day LeBron came to Philly.”
Staff writers Gabriela Carroll, Erin McCarthy, Gina Mizell, Matt Mullin, and Andrea Padilla contributed to this article.
LeBron James met Donovan McNabb, ordered a cheesesteak in South Philly, and stayed at a hotel just a few blocks from City Hall when he visited Philadelphia for the first time. But James — then a high school senior — had no interest in trekking to the Liberty Bell.
“LeBron was giving me a lot of flak about it,” said Jeremy Treatman, who organized the showcase at the Palestra in December 2002 that brought James to Philly. “I said, ‘I cannot in good faith let you come to Philadelphia and not go to Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell.’ I remember him saying, ‘I don’t want to see no damn bell.’”
James returned to Philadelphia on Friday as an all-time great, signing a two-year contract with the Sixers that should cap his NBA career in the city he toured as a teenager. He arrived here in 2002 as a 17-year-old who just wanted to play basketball six months before turning pro.
James was such a draw — Sports Illustrated labeled him “The Chosen One” earlier that year — that Treatman sold out the Palestra without advertising the game between James’ St. Vincent-St. Mary High of Akron, Ohio, and Philly’s Strawberry Mansion.
James was an attraction like the Liberty Bell.
“I had an office at 1420 Walnut St. and people were just coming off the street and coming up the elevator and buying tickets left and right,” said Treatman, who started organizing high school basketball games three years earlier. “It was great. Once or twice or three times in my lifetime, I could imagine a moment like that.”
Treatman heard about James a year earlier and went to Akron to see him play. Treatman had been an assistant at Lower Merion when Kobe Bryant was a high schooler. He called Gregg Downer, the Lower Merion coach, and said he was watching another Bryant.
“I said, ‘I think I just saw someone as good if not better than Kobe, and I can’t believe what I’m saying,’” Treatman said.
He contacted St. Vincent-St. Mary with a proposal to host a series of games the next season. Treatman sent a fax to James’ coach with the plan: Madison Square Garden, Ohio State, University of Dayton, the Palestra, and the University of North Carolina.
“He called the next day and said, ‘You can get us to play at the Palestra?’ I said, ‘Absolutely,’” Treatman said. “He called back three hours later and said, ‘I’ve always wanted to play at the Palestra. We’re in.’ I was like, ‘Holy s—. This is really happening.’ They all happened, except for Madison Square Garden. I chickened out on that one. They wanted $90,000, and I certainly didn’t have that money back then. But I should’ve borrowed it. I should’ve.”
Chester, St. Joseph’s Prep, and Cardinal Dougherty would have given James’ squad a better game. But none of those teams had Maureece Rice, who was nearing Wilt Chamberlain’s Philadelphia high school scoring record. Treatman knew that Rice, who was nicknamed “The Score Lord,” playing James would be an event.
The team from the Public League was happy to get picked to play James.
“You have to understand something: We’re from the Strawberry Mansion section of North Philadelphia,” said Marc Starling, then a Mansion assistant. “That’s big time to be able to play someone so great in your city. We felt very honored. Now, I’m so glad he picked the Sixers. I’m an older guy, and I haven’t been this excited about a player coming to Philadelphia since the Sixers got Dr. J. You believe that?”
The event included other games, as Kyle Lowry’s Dougherty squad and a Penn Charter team featuring future NFL quarterback Matt Ryan served as opening acts for James vs. Rice.
“This place held 8,117, and somehow 9,000 people got in,” Treatman said. “I know I was at fault for letting at least 100 extra media people come in. I remember Howard Eskin was late, and I gave him a ticket. World Wide Wes [basketball power broker William Wesley] and Allen Iverson came late, and we got them in. There were no seats. There was this crazy aura to see this guy who people were hearing could be the greatest player of all time. So everyone wanted to see him.”
LeBron James’ mother, Gloria, watches the 2002 game between St. Vincent-St. Mary and Strawberry Mansion at the Palestra.Peter Tobia / Staff Photographer
The game was a 85-47 blowout, as Strawberry Mansion could not keep pace with James’ squad, which was the No. 1 team in the country with three Division I players.
“The most important thing I remember about that game was just how humble they were and their sportsmanship,” Starling said. “They were a national team. We were a local team. The score showed the difference, but their attitude was great. They had a lot of respect for Maureece. It’s like it was yesterday. It’s a blessing to see LeBron’s growth from there to now.”
The many fans were restless as James’ squad pulled away. Treatman remembered James’ mother starting to push back against the Philly fans. Finally, the crowd got what it wanted. With seven minutes left, James pointed to Rice and told everyone else to get out of the way.
“They played one-on-one for about a four-minute stretch in a team basketball game,” Treatman said. “It was the most brilliant thing I’ve ever seen. LeBron was brilliant. He said, ‘This is what the fans came to see. The game’s out of hand. Let’s have some fun here.’ That was pretty remarkable. I remember saying, ‘LeBron is so smart. Like a marketing genius.’”
LeBron James hugs Maureece Rice in the final minutes of their game at the Palestra in 2002. Peter Tobia
James knocked down a three in front of Rice. And then Rice brought the ball down the court as the crowd stood. He hit a crossover dribble as James slipped on the court as if he was on skates. The crowd roared, and some fans came onto the court.
“I had him set up, crossed one way, and he went the other way,” Rice said in 2011 before James played at the Palestra during the NBA lockout. “Next thing you know, he fell, and the crowd just went bananas. LeBron was the No. 1 player, and the things he does now, it’s something no one will forget.”
Forget that Rice’s ensuing three-pointer didn’t even touch the rim and that James’ squad won by 38. The crossover — and the reaction of the crowd — became an iconic moment in Philly hoops.
“It’s sort of like when Allen Iverson crossed over [Michael] Jordan as a rookie,” Starling said. “It was showing the world that Maureece Rice was very good, too. He was an exceptional basketball player. It was like being a father and seeing your son do something so great and show the world what you already knew he could do. That’s how I felt when I saw him make his move. I had been coaching him since the seventh grade and that was one of the proudest moments. He didn’t hit the shot, but he showed the world what he was about.”
The game aired live on cable and James was interviewed afterward by Gregg Murphy, now a Phillies radio broadcaster.
“The atmosphere was really great,” James told him. “All of these people came to watch these two teams play. It was great for the community and for our school, for Akron, Ohio. I like stuff like this. It was pretty fun.”
NBA great LeBron James dunking at the Palestra as a high school standout from Akron, Ohio, in 2002.Jennifer Midberry / Staff Photographer
James asked his coach to tell Treatman they weren’t going to the Liberty Bell. But the coach said he had to go. He wanted the trip to be more than just basketball. They met with McNabb and Andy Reid at the Eagles’ practice facility, ate cheesesteaks at Pat’s, and then went to Independence Hall.
“The guide at Independence Hall started talking about the history of slaves and the history of Black people in Philadelphia,” Treatman said. “All of a sudden, LeBron and his teammates started asking question after question after question. They really enjoyed the education. That was my whole point. You’re coming to Philadelphia, and this is the birthplace of America. You have to learn what happened here.”
Treatman dropped the team off at the airport the day after the game and said farewell to the kid who would become a great.
“He came up and shook my hand and said, ‘Thanks for taking us to the Liberty Bell,’” Treatman said. “‘That was the most meaningful moment of the weekend for me.’ That was 24 years ago. It’s kind of incredible and surreal that it’s happening now. I hope it’s a great final chapter and he becomes the first guy to win a championship with four different teams.”
A few weeks ago, most people would’ve laughed at those words. But 3½ weeks after James, 41, informed the Lakers that he’d be playing his 24th NBA season elsewhere, it’s a reality. James announced Friday that he’s taking his talents to South Broad, and he’ll sign a two-year deal with the Sixers as he tries to bring an NBA title to Philly.
So how did this happen? How did the Sixers go from an afterthought to the home of one of the league’s all-time greats? Here’s a look at the twists and turns that led LeBron to Philly for the final chapter of his Hall of Fame career:
June 30: LeBron tells the Lakers he’s not coming back
James informed the Lakers he’s leaving Los Angeles and will play next season elsewhere.
BREAKING: LeBron James will continue his NBA career for the 2026-27 season and has informed the Los Angeles Lakers that the franchise can move on without him because he will play elsewhere, Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul tells ESPN. pic.twitter.com/zzVk6xUVF1
July 1: The Jaylen Brown trade and the tweet heard ’round the world
A day later, Rich Paul, James’ agent and longtime friend, told Game Over podcast cohost Max Kellerman that between 12 and 14 teams have reached out about his client and says that James’ free agency won’t be about money.
Meanwhile, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported that James was willing to play for the veteran minimum, making him a viable option for the cash-strapped Sixers.
But the biggest news of the day came in the evening, when it broke that the Sixers were acquiring Jaylen Brown from the Celtics for Paul George and draft picks. The move turned the Sixers from an afterthought to a legit option to land James.
A couple hours later, Steve Gansey, the brother of Sixers president of basketball operations Mike Gansey, posted a photo that featured James and Mike as high schoolers.
Charania and fellow ESPN insider Brian Windhorst signaled that the Sixers were seriously in the mix for James for the first time and outlined the team’s potential pitch, led by Tyrese Maxey.
"I'm told the Sixers are also trying to make a pitch to LeBron James… Include the Sixers & maybe 1 or 2 other teams in due time in that mix. The Sixers get Anfernee Simons & they’re obviously trying to continue to add to this team.”
Paul outlined James’ possible landing spots on Game Over and included the Sixers among them, launching a million conspiracy theories and causing Sixers fans to ask, “Why was Maxey the only player with a star next to his name?” and “Why were the Sixers the first team added to the board?” The four other teams listed among the top contenders were the Cleveland Cavaliers, Miami Heat, Minnesota Timberwolves, and Denver Nuggets.
Notice how the Sixers are the FIRST team they wrote down in the top left corner connected to LeBron…..👀 https://t.co/jo6INCG6S0
James was spotted in Cleveland over Fourth of July weekend with some former high school teammates, including with Cavaliers assistant general manager (and longtime friend) Brandon Weems, whom Paul previously said was “basically LeBron’s brother.”
ESPN reported that the Sixers are one of the top-three teams in the running to land James, along with the Cavaliers and Heat.
July 8: Bob Myers pitches Sixers on Rich Paul’s podcast
Bob Myers, the president of sports for Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment and the man who led the search to replace Daryl Morey (and hire Mike Gansey), was a guest on the Game Over podcast and pitches the Sixers directly to Paul.
“If he was here, I’d say I honestly believe [Philly] is your best chance to win,” Myers said. “… What I would just say is, if it’s about winning, let’s talk about this team. Because you can win here in Philly.”
Windhorst reiterated how impactful Maxey could be in the Sixers’ recruitment of James but said on First Take that other teams “are skeptical” they can compete with Cleveland in the recruiting process.
Meanwhile, two Philly sports stars — including one of the newest Sixers in Jaylen Brown — made public pitches to James. First was Saquon Barkley, who said he’d tell James that he’ll be “remembered forever” if he brings a championship to Philly.
Eagles running back Saquon Barkley offered his pitch to LeBron James on Thursday at his youth football camp in Haddonfield: "You'd be remembered forever."
— Philadelphia Inquirer Sports (@phillysport) July 10, 2026
Later, Brown used an appearance with streamer iShowSpeed during the France-Morocco World Cup quarterfinal to have Speed, an Ohio native whose real name is Darren Watkins Jr., to recruit James to the Sixers.
July 10: Cleveland starts to fade; Rich Paul drops another podcast
In another episode of Game Over, Paul was asked about Maxey being the main draw in Philly. His response? “First of all, none of these lists [of teams] are accurate, what you’re seeing out there. No one knows what the list looks like.”
While that wasn’t the question — though it certainly was an interesting start to his answer — Paul then outlined some of why Maxey is at the top of the list of reasons his client would want to play for the Sixers. But he also talked about Joel Embiid, the Brown trade, and more.
Max Kellerman & Rich Paul dive into more of the fit & draw of LeBron James to this Philadelphia 76ers team…
Main points are the biggest draw being Tyrese Maxey, Joel Embiid being the best player alive when healthy & the Jaylen Brown addition…
Later, while attempting to temper Cavaliers fans’ expectations during a radio hit in Cleveland, Windhorst said he “had somebody on the phone with me today that I consider a good source who was swearing it’s a done deal in another city [outside of Cleveland] a couple hours ago.”
And nearly two weeks after James first let it be known that he was entering free agency one last time, Paul was in Las Vegas for the NBA Summer League and joined ESPN to discuss his client’s free agency. In addition to saying there’s no timeline for a decision — “I just tell him take your time, [and] whenever you’re ready, just let me know,” he said — Paul added that his client and longtime friend isn’t “chasing a ring” and is “not worried about nobody’s opinions.”
While their name had been linked to James for weeks, Gansey confirmed the Sixers’ interest. He told The Inquirer that “we’d love to have [James] in Philly. I think he’d really, really help us and add to our group. But he’s making a big decision here. It’s wild [that], at his age, he’s playing at such a high level.
“I have all the respect in the world for him, and he’s smart as heck. He’s going to figure it out and talk to his family, and we’ll be waiting. Whatever he decides, I know he’s going to make the right decision.”
July 15: Sixers players enter the chat
ESPN reported that the Sixers’ three biggest stars had been in touch with James, with Maxey leading the team’s pitch to the superstar.
“As LeBron James’ free agency decision extends into its second week, the Philadelphia 76ers have kept up their pursuit of the four-time NBA champion through three of their players, league sources told ESPN,” Dave McMenamin wrote. “Tyrese Maxey, Joel Embiid and Jaylen Brown have all been in communication with James. … Sources told ESPN’s Shams Charania on Tuesday the Sixers remain one of the top potential destinations for James, along with the Cavaliers and the Miami Heat.”
July 16: Appearances at Fanatics fest
James made two appearances at Fanatics Fest in New York and shared his first public comments since his free agency began. While James didn’t say much at either event — first on a live recording of Mind the Game podcast, and then on CNBC’s Boardroom — he did hint that a decision could be coming soon, saying that he “won’t hold you guys up too much longer.” He also hinted that his 24th NBA season may not be his last.
July 17: LeBron wants to ‘trust the process’
James continued appearing at Fanatics Fest, and during one of them — a live recording of The Shop talk show — the future Hall of Famer sent the crowd into a frenzy when he said he wants to play for a team that “trusts the process.”
While “The Process” was both a rebuilding period for the Sixers and Joel Embiid’s nickname, James said he has been using the phrase for his entire career and that it was not a reference to the Sixers or their former motto.
LeBron James said he wants to go to a franchise that “trusts the process.”👀
The crowd absolutely lit up and LeBron responded that he’s been saying “trust the process” since he was drafted in 2003. 😂
After James was spotted meeting Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro and Sixers managing partner Josh Harris while in New York for Fanatics Fest, it didn’t appear his top three teams had changed. According to Charania, the pitches were all in, and “the choice is LeBron James’ right now.” The Sixers, Cavaliers, and Heat remained the possible landing spots.
The next morning, Paul dropped another podcast and confirmed that the decision was in James’ hands and could come at any time — “It could be 48 seconds [from now]. It could be 48 minutes” — and there was nothing teams could do at that point to sway King James.
July 22: The Heat drop the ball
A member of the Miami Heat’s social media staff posted a link Tuesday night for a July 27 livestream titled “LeBron James Introductory Press Conference.” The post was later deleted and a Heat spokesperson told ESPN that the team was preparing for the possibility of James signing in Miami and accidentally posted the link to the team’s YouTube page. At this point, Miami was also the favorite to land James. Needless to say, the errant post sent the internet into a frenzy.
I thought I was done when the season ended. I wasn't ready to announce it, and I knew I needed some time to really decide, but I was pretty sure I played my last game. I was honest at that last press conference when I said I needed to look at myself and deicide if I still love
In a series of posts on X, James confirmed that he is headed to Philly. According to ESPN, he agreed to a two-year contract with the Sixers on Friday in one of the more improbable roster additions in Sixers history.
“I believe I can help make the Philadelphia 76ers a championship team and I am so excited to energize a new fan base and start this incredible journey one last time,” James wrote on X while confirming the news.
The adult royal blue, white, and red Nike Swingman jerseys had been selling for $124.99, in line with the price of similar jerseys for other Sixers stars.
Red and blue youth and adult Nike Jordan Brand Fast Break jerseys, which are made of different material, were still available to preorder for $69.99 and $79.99 as of Friday afternoon, though some colors and sizes were in low supply. Those jerseys were set to ship next month.
Once James’ decision was announced, his new jersey was available “instantly,” according to Brandon Williams, Fanatics vice president for global communications.
An image of the jersey was displayed on the top of the Fanatics homepage with the words: “LeBron James. The king just found his kingdom.”
On Friday afternoon, Mitchell & Ness customers could preorder several James graphic tees and sweatshirts, set to ship in four to six weeks. The new swag was advertised on the retailer’s homepage, which read “Philly welcomes the king.”
Rally House, the national sports apparel chain with more than two dozen Philly-area locations, also advertised James Sixers jerseys and T-shirts, set to ship next month.
But Sixers fans who stop by their local Rally House this weekend won’t find James gear just yet.
“With the demand of jerseys, LeBron James jerseys will have a slightly longer timeline to land in-store,” Novick said in a statement. “Rally House is doing everything in their power to beat these estimated arrivals and get LeBron James 76ers gear into Philly stores for fans ASAP.”
If LeBron James is to be believed, if he was telling the truth when he took to Twitter/X late Friday morning to explain why he had decided to shock the basketball world and sign with the 76ers, if he was speaking from the heart and not merely trying to sell a new city and fan base on his choice, then this could be a red-letter moment in the history of Philadelphia sports.
LeBron to the Sixers is unlike anything that has happened around here. Those with long memories like to think that back on Pete Rose’s signing with the Phillies in 1978 or the Sixers’ trading for Moses Malone in 1982 are comparable, and it’s understandable why. Those superstars provided exactly what those teams needed to win a championship, and each of those teams promptly won one — the Phillies in Rose’s second season, the Sixers in Malone’s first.
But James exists in a different stratosphere economically and culturally from the one Rose and Malone did then. His fame is global. His wealth makes him a multibillionaire. He is among the five best basketball players ever to walk the Earth and among the most famous people walking it now. And he is a perfect fit for this Sixers team, for a franchise that hasn’t won a championship since 1983 and is making an all-in move to end that drought.
I thought I was done when the season ended. I wasn't ready to announce it, and I knew I needed some time to really decide, but I was pretty sure I played my last game. I was honest at that last press conference when I said I needed to look at myself and deicide if I still love
The most heartening aspect of James’ decision isn’t even that, at 41 years old, he should be the ideal power forward/point guard to play alongside Joel Embiid, Jaylen Brown, Tyrese Maxey, and VJ Edgecombe. He is a player unlike any other; he can bring the ball up, get it out of Maxey’s hands, run a halfcourt offense, and play at any pace.
No, the encouraging thing about his announcement Friday was his reason for making it. He admitted that he had contemplated retiring, that he had spent time with his family and friends, “with all the people I love,” he wrote, “trying to figure it all out.” He wanted to keep playing, but he had to acknowledge to himself why.
“I’m not going for money,” he wrote, which partially explains why his contract with the Sixers reportedly is just two years long and worth just $8 million. “I’m not going for family. What am I really playing for at this point? I still want to sacrifice. I still want to work. I still want to grind. I still want to compete, to win, and to have a chance at the feeling of winning another championship. I believe I can help make the Philadelphia 76ers a championship team, and I am so excited to energize a new fan base and start this incredible journey one last time.”
That desire — to win an NBA championship — really was the only factor that stood a chance of drawing James here, and there was a case to be made that the Sixers didn’t even offer the best opportunity for him to win his fifth ring. The Miami Heat have Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bam Adebayo and Pat Riley and Erik Spoelstra and that vaunted Heat culture, and the Cleveland Cavaliers were just in the Eastern Conference finals last season, and he was familiar with both franchises and revered in both markets. He could have gone to either of those teams for sentimental reasons alone, never mind the rosters and the possibilities on the court, and no one would have been surprised.
Instead, he chose a harder, more dramatic road. Assume he had decided to spend his final season or seasons with the Heat or the Cavaliers. Either of those teams could lose in the second round of the playoffs with him, and James’ legacy and reputation would remain untarnished. They love him in those places and always will. He helped build a dynasty in Miami. The championship he won in 2016 with the Cavs was Cleveland’s first in 52 years. Philadelphia is something else entirely, and not merely because the Sixers have gone so long without a parade.
A franchise that hasn’t won a championship in more than 43 years, that was expected to win a championship for more than a decade in the aftermath of The Process and never got all that close, will be expected to win one because of James’ presence. People here had grown jaded about the Sixers, about all these iterations of the team, about a franchise that hasn’t had an identity since Allen Iverson was sacrificing his body every night for the sake of scoring 40. James’ decision has blended that cynicism with hope and created a powerful concoction. Ticket sales surely are skyrocketing already. The Sixers will be at the center of every hoops-related talk show, podcast, international news story, and dinner table conversation into the foreseeable future. Their roster will be a fascinating study in leadership and group dynamics, and it will test coach Nick Nurse and his staff like nothing they’ve encountered in their careers. The pressure on this team will be withering.
LeBron James signed up for all of that. He did it because he wants to win and thinks he can with the Sixers. The stakes for this franchise, for pro basketball in this city, have never been higher. Get ready for a journey no one here has taken before. Get ready, win or lose with LeBron James, for the wildest ride you can imagine.
Philly’s other pro athletes spent weeks on red carpets, at events, and on podcasts trying to pitch LeBron James on signing with the Sixers. Everyone from Bryce Harper to Cooper DeJean and Saquon Barkley tried to sell him on it.
And on Friday, James finally announced that he will continue his NBA career in Philadelphia, signing a two-year deal with the Sixers to try and win another championship.
Despite speculation that Jaylen Brown, whom the Sixers acquired earlier this month, and James might have beef, after Brown said two years ago that he didn’t believe James’ son, Bronny, was a pro, Brown was the first Sixers star to post after the announcement.
While we’re still waiting on Joel Embiid, the 2022-23 MVP spent much of 2014 on Twitter trying to lobby James to the Sixers. Twelve years later, he finally got his wish.
@KingJames hey bro hope you're having a good day…… Want to join us in philly?? Peace
The city’s other athletes are reacting, too. Barkley extended a golf invite after Sixers fans spent weeks pondering the locations of James’ golf trips.
Welcome to the city! Let me know when you tryna tee it up 🏌🏽⛳️ @KingJames
But some former NBA players were less enthused about James’ fourth decision, including Gilbert Arenas.
“This don’t look right, I’m sorry. Who is this?” Arenas said. “… Philly? What? I know Savannah didn’t approve this. Nobody approved him going to Philly.”
Dwight Howard posted encouraging the Sixers to complete the team with Ben Simmons, who said he plans to return to the NBA this year. Many fans responded with a famous old Colin Cowherd meme.
Sixers president of basketball operations Mike Gansey has a history with James. They first crossed paths as Ohio high school basketball players and later when Gansey was an executive with the Cavaliers.
// Timestamp 07/24/26 7:44pm
‘It’s a Philly King’: Inquirer and Daily News front (and back) pages
The Philadelphia Inquirer’s front page for Saturday, July 25, 2026.The Philadelphia InquirerThe front of the Philadelphia Inquirer sports section for Saturday.staffThe front cover of Sunday’s Daily News.Daily NewsAnd the back cover of the Daily News.Daily News
// Timestamp 07/24/26 7:37pm
Steve Gansey says Sixers fans are showing him the love after his brother’s big move
Steve Gansey, right, brother of Sixers president of basketball operations Mike Gansey, left, became popular online after he shared an image of his brother and LeBron James.Courtesy of Steve Gansey
Steve Gansey was at work on Friday morning when the texts started to trickle in.
Two colleagues from Philadelphia shared the news that LeBron James had signed with the 76ers. Gansey, the younger brother of new Sixers’ president of basketball operations Mike Gansey, logged onto Twitter/X, and saw a post from ESPN insider Shams Charania saying the same.
Like any other responsible basketball fan, he checked to make sure it wasn’t a prank account, before getting too excited.
“I was like, ‘OK, well, who knows?’” Gansey said on Friday. “You’ve got to do your due diligence and make sure that’s real.”
About an hour later, Steve received the ultimate confirmation from his brother.
“Mike actually called me,” he said. “And was like, ‘What’s up?’ And I was like ‘… What’s up?’”
Steve said his brother barely talked about LeBron at all.
“We talked about how excited he is, this that and the other, and the first thing he said was, ’Yeah, it’s Nick Nurse’s birthday,’” Gansey said. “And Nick was boarding a plane or something, and Mike had to shoot him a text, and he said, ‘Happy Birthday,’ or something.”
He added: “Only a couple of hours after he gets the news with LeBron, Mike is talking about going to the flea market with his kids tomorrow in Cleveland. And how excited he is to find some old school starting lineups or action figures. That’s just who Mike is.”
The younger Gansey ignited social media a few weeks ago, when he posted a photo of his brother, side-by-side, with LeBron, in high school. LeBron played basketball at St. Vincent-St. Mary, a short drive from Olmsted Falls, where Gansey played.
Steve says he didn’t have any inside knowledge when he posted that prophetic tweet, but that didn’t stop Sixers fans from showering him with praise on Friday afternoon, after the news became official.
“Everyone was like, ‘Thanks Steve for everything,’ like I did something,” Gansey said. “I gave people hope, I guess, by throwing out a couple of tweets there.”
Steve has never been to Philadelphia; the closest he got was a trip to Delaware when he was coaching in the G-League. But he is excited to go. And when he does, he will have plenty of free food and alcohol awaiting him.
“Someone said that Mike can walk on the Sch-ku-yu? What is it? Water?” Gansey said, referring to the Schuylkill River. “I was like, ‘OK, that must be a tough body of water to walk on.’
“The free Tastykakes. ‘I have your hookup for free Tastykakes for Mike.’ Free cheesesteaks. ‘You get free beer, or a free drink, when you come into town.’”
These are nice perks, but the younger brother is more proud of his brother than anything else — and unlike the rest of the NBA, he’s certainly not surprised.
“It comes around,” he said. “And that’s what relationships are. Obviously they have a good relationship together, they won a championship [in Cleveland] together, they feel comfortable. Nick Nurse won a championship. He’s a players’ first type of coach.
“It’s just really awesome that they are back together again. And it’s even cooler that they’re teaming up in a different city. Two northeast Ohio guys, takin’ on the world.”
We still don’t know when LeBron James will make his regular-season 76ers debut, as the NBA has yet to drop its schedule, but two preseason games have already been revealed. And if you hope to see him in preseason action at Xfinity Mobile Arena, get ready to pay a pretty penny.
As of Friday afternoon, tickets for the Sixers’ preseason home game vs. the Boston Celtics (7 p.m. on Oct. 16) start at $305 each for two tickets, according to Vivid Seats. A single ticket is $321. Tickets for the Sixers’ other known preseason game, at the Celtics’ TD Garden Oct. 10 (8 p.m.), start at $157 for two tickets together, while a single seat starts at $193.
We’ll say it again: These are for preseason games.
Worth it for an audience with King James?
The preseason home-and-home already had intrigue, since it could be the first time Jaylen Brown sees his former team. The Sixers acquired Brown from the Celtics, the only team he had known in his 10 NBA seasons, on July 1 for Paul George and four draft picks.
Breaking down LeBron’s decision to join the Sixers
// Timestamp 07/24/26 5:24pm
‘That’s cheating’: Kendrick Perkins, Vince Carter on LeBron signing
ESPN analyst Kendrick Perkins, who played with LeBron James on the 2014-15 Cavaliers team that fell in the finals, said the future Hall of Famer’s decision to sign with the Sixers made Philly a legitimate championship threat.
With an existing core of Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, VJ Edgecombe, and the recently acquired Jaylen Brown, Perkins believes James is the piece that will put Philly over the top.
“The Philadelphia 76ers, with LeBron James, can win the championship this year, with this roster,” Perkins said. “The teams that he won a championship with, they had dogs… this is what [the 76ers] have”
Hall of Famer Vince Carter said James joining the Sixers was “cheating”.
Along with James, who is entering his 24th season in the NBA, Carter also played well into his 40s, with a career spanning from 1998-2020. But while the former 5th overall pick did not win a championship across his 22 year career, James will now aim to win his 5th championship, and become the first player to win one with four separate teams.
During an recent episode of The Cousins, a podcast he co-hosts with Tracy McGrady, Carter said James “doesn’t have to do much to still be him” due to Philly’s talented roster.
“Now your fifth-best starter has to guard one of those guys,” Carter said, calling it “crazy.”
LeBron James’ signing adds an exclamation point to Sixers’ transformational summer
LeBron James chose the Sixers over suitors that included the Cleveland Cavaliers and Miami Heat.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
LeBron James’ Friday morning news dump did not come via ESPN television special or Sports Illustrated open letter.
Or on his agent’s podcast, for that matter.
Instead, it was one tweet from ESPN newsbreaker Shams Charania. And another from James’ agency, Klutch Sports, with confirmation. Then a thread of tweets from LeBron himself, with an initial explanation of what he is calling his final decision.
It was gargantuan all the same. For the NBA. And for Philly.
LeBron is a Sixer. So is Jaylen Brown. And Tyrese Maxey and Joel Embiid and VJ Edgecombe, for that matter. And it all brings together arguably the most improbable-yet-transformative offseason in franchise history under new president of basketball operations Mike Gansey.
James, who has agreed to sign a two-year, $8 million deal, The Inquirer confirmed, will finish his legendary career with a team with which he has far less prior connection than his other reported suitors. He did not choose the hometown Cleveland Cavaliers. Or the Miami Heat, where he won his first two NBA championships. Or even the Golden State Warriors, where it is easily commutable from Los Angeles if his family chose to stay there.
But “everything changed,” agent Rich Paul said on his Game Over podcast, once the Sixers pulled off the blockbuster trade for Brown.
Playing with Tyrese Maxey, a fellow premier Klutch client who has worked out with James since his pre-draft process, went from theoretical to realistic. Working with a young VJ Edgecombe was intriguing to James, Paul said. A source close to James also told The Inquirer Friday that James has known Sixers co-owner David Blitzer for many years, and appreciates the franchise’s history and passionate fan base.
In 2017, coming off the opening weekend of his film Split, M. Night Shayamalan rang the Sixers’ ceremonial bell before the Philly team took on the LA Clippers. His daughter Saleka sang the national anthem.
“I can still remember when Dr. J retired,” the filmmaker and die-hard Sixers fan who grew up in Wynnewood and lives in Willistown Township, wrote on the Sixers website in 2019. “It was a tough, tough night in the Shyamalan household.”
A big fan of the late 1990s, Pat Croce, Allen Iverson, Dikembe Mutombo era, Shyamalan chose to celebrate LeBron James’ decision to join the Sixers with an AI generated image of him and James, which he shared on Instagram. In it, the filmmaker is dressed in an armor embossed with the Sixers’ logo and wears a metal crown. Next to him, James wears a “Phila 6” basket ball jersey and a crown more regal than Shyamalan’s. Behind them, a chessboard serves as a background; Shayamalan is the knight (get it?) and James the king. The minimalist caption just tags James and the Sixers’ Instagram accounts.
Most comments decried Shyamalan’s use of Generative AI and one commenter specifically pointed out that the number 6 jersey was retired across NBA teams, in honor of the late Boston Celtics legend, Bill Russell, who passed away in 2022.
Shyamalan, a Sixers season-ticket holder with courtside seats, directed former Sixers point guard James Harden and former coach Doc Rivers in a promotional short for his 2023 thriller, Knock at the Cabin.
Sixers remain silent about LeBron, but not season ticket sales
A text message sent by the Sixers Friday afternoon.Conor Smith
The 76ers have not posted about LeBron James’ decision to sign with the team on social media yet. However, it seems that the team’s ticket sales department is looking to take advantage of the frenzy following the initial news breaking.
In a well-timed time message, the team sent out a reminder to past ticket purchasers that “2026-27 Season Tickets are selling out fast.” Wonder why that may be?
No plan for Bronny James to join LeBron in Philly: ESPN
As for the impact of LeBron James’ decision on his son Bronny James, Rich Paul, the agent for both tells ESPN that "they are not a package deal" and there's no current plan or request for Bronny Janes to join his father in Philly.
Raymond Davis took the train into 30th Street Station to play basketball at Schuylkill River Park.
Before leaving his home in Mount Airy, he put on his Tyrese Maxey to hoop in — not knowing LeBron James would sign with his favorite team shortly after. pic.twitter.com/VhnGdRSg9i
Raymond Davis took the train into 30th Street Station to play basketball at Schuylkill River Park. Before leaving his home in Mount Airy, he put on his Tyrese Maxey to hoop in — not knowing LeBron James would sign with his favorite team shortly after.
“I didn’t even know he was coming until I got on the train,” Davis said. “I was ready to cry on that jawn, bro. It’s so crazy. We getting the chip though, you know what I’m saying. This is the best our team ever looked and I’m just happy to be here. Happy for LeBron, been a LeBron fan since I was a young boul. It’s thorough.”
Davis met up with a few friends on the way to Schuylkill River Park. One of them, Christopher Gaines, is just as excited as Davis. Gaines is ready to write the day down in history books.
“The king of basketball’s coming to Philly — the city of sports and this is like a great day, a great moment,” Davis said. “You know, what? July 24th, I will always remember as ‘King Bron Day’ — the day LeBron came to Philly.”
“I think it’s a special day that all people in Philadelphia should celebrate and should look deep inside their hearts to just remember this is a very important and special day in Philadelphia’s history.”
‘We were picked!’: Sixers fans react to LeBron signing
Lydia Victor and her sister bought a Whole Foods cake to celebrate LeBron James signing with the Sixers.Lydia Victor
After LeBron James announced his decision, Lydia Victor and her sister bought a Whole Foods chantilly cake to celebrate. The Northeast Philly graphic designer and sports content creator had the bakery write “Trust the Process 23” in red frosting on top. She planned to cut it later Friday with her father, who went to college in Ohio and is the biggest LeBron fan, she said.
She said it almost didn’t matter if the James-led team wins a championship — though she was already planning to celebrate on Broad Street. The fact that James chose Philadelphia brought her more happiness than a championship (or potentially getting married or having kids) might. She likened the moment to Meredith Grey’s iconic monologue in the TV show Grey’s Anatomy imploring Derek Shepherd to choose her.
“It’s just the mindset that Philly isn’t always considered a big market and the national media usually counts us out when it comes to acquiring big name free agents,” she said. But this time, things were different.
“We were picked!” she said.
Cormac Watson, a Lakers fan visiting Philadelphia from Ireland, said he was glad James had chosen the Sixers. He wished the 41-year-old well after having spent nearly a decade playing in Los Angeles, but gave a cryptic and familiar warning about the Sixers’ future.
“It all relies on Embiid,” he said.
Darnell Butts, 56, said there’s no way the Sixers would have landed James had former general manager Daryl Morey still been in charge. Butts was optimistic about the Sixers’ championship chances, and excited for the team’s younger stars to learn from a player he calls the greatest of all time. Butts said he wants to welcome James in Philly fashion.
“Get a Philly cheesesteak, it’s on Darnell Butts. Meet me at Reading Terminal,” he said.
Not everyone was thrilled with James’ decision though. Swain Tomar, 39, is from Miami and was dismayed his Heat couldn’t ultimately sway James. He said although he’s a fan of James, it would be tough watching Sixers fans getting to enjoy his final act when the Heat were reportedly among James’ final suitors. Swain blames it on the team’s mistakenly posting a YouTube link to a future introductory press conference for James had he signed with Miami.
“I think we bungled it,” he said.
But Victor said her goodwill toward James goes away if reports are true that he would commute from New York City while a Sixer, instead of living in the area.
“If you’re choosing us lock in [and] choose us,” she said.
LeBron James’ new Sixers jerseys didn’t last long.Charles Fox / Staff Photographer
Fanatics is already sold out of some LeBron James Sixers jerseys.
About two hours after the news broke, all first editions of the no. 23 jerseys were sold out on the Fanatics website. The adult royal blue, white, and red Swingman premium jerseys had been selling for $124.99, in line with the price of similar jerseys for other Sixers stars. Youth jerseys had also been available to pre-order for $69.99.
Red-and-blue adult Fast Break jerseys, which are made of different material, were available to preorder for $79.99 as of Friday afternoon. They were set to ship in early August.
Longtime Sixers public address announcer Matt Cord retired at the end of the season, but took a minute to offer up what his LeBron James intro would sound like during an appearance on 97.5 The Fanatic Friday.
I bet you want to hear Matt Cord Introduce LeBron James…
Deyson Martinez prepares food at Honeygrow in Center City Philadelphia.Jessica Griffin / Staff Photographer
Honeygrow, the Philly-founded fast casual food business, tried to lure LeBron James to the Sixers in the day leading up to the announcement.
On Thursday, the company known for its made-to-order stir-fries as well as salads posted on its Instagram what sounded like an enticing offer: Come to Philadelphia, and we’ll give you free Honeygrow food for life, the company touted.
“Thoughts on taking your talents to Broad Street?” the company said in the Instagram post. “We’ve got all the Heat you need.”
One commenter on Instagram chimed in: “I’m not LeBron James but I’d happily take free Honeygrow for life.” Another noted: “Way to sweeten the pot lol”
When the news came out on Friday that James was actually coming to Philadelphia, founder and CEO of Honeygrow Justin Rosenberg said he was “ecstatic.”
He joked: “LeBron personally called me before the announcement and let me know that it was partially because of this – I’m totally kidding.”
Rosenberg, who calls himself a “hardcore Sixers fan,” doesn’t think his company ultimately had anything to do with the decision.
“We’re all floored. This is super cool,” he said. “Just to have him be a part of the city is great.”
Asked if he’ll keep up his end of the deal and provide free Honeygrow to James for life, Rosenberg said, “We’re going to have to keep our end of the bargain and have a conversation with him about this.”
“He’s going to have to reach out. Let’s talk, LeBron,” he said. “Let’s figure it out.”
Tyrese Maxey, VJ Edgecombe react to LeBron James coming to Philly
Tyrese Maxey and LeBron James during a December 2025 game in Philly.Bill Streicher, Bill Streicher-I
Philly’s other pro athletes are among the most excited about James coming to Philly, after big names like Bryce Harper and Cooper DeJean attempted to make their pitch on the All-Star red carpet.
Despite speculation that Jaylen Brown and James might have beef, after Brown said a few years ago that he didn’t believe James’ son Bronny was a pro, Brown was the first to post after the announcement.
While we’re still waiting on Joel Embiid, Embiid spent much of 2014 on Twitter trying to lobby James to the Sixers. Twelve years later, he finally got his wish.
@KingJames hey bro hope you're having a good day…… Want to join us in philly?? Peace
Even the city’s other athletes are getting in on it. Saquon Barkley extended a golf invite, after Sixer fans spent weeks conspiring on the locations of James’ golf trips.
Welcome to the city! Let me know when you tryna tee it up 🏌🏽⛳️ @KingJames
LeBron James’ arrival makes the Sixers true championship contenders.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
A lot changed for the Sixers on Friday, including their title odds after LeBron James announced he’d be ending his free agency by signing with the Sixers.
Prior to James becoming a Sixer, they were listed as +2000 to win the NBA Finals, according to Sports Illustrated on July 20.
Philly is now up to +1000, the fourth favorite behind the Oklahoma City Thunder (+260), San Antonio Spurs (+260), and New York Knicks (+900).
The Knicks (+340) remain the favorite to win the Eastern Conference, but the Sixers sit in second with +380 odds for the conference title. Prior to James’ two-year $8 million contract, Philly was +700 to win the East.
Their odds to be the Atlantic Division winners jumped from +450 to +220, according to DraftKings Sports.
— Mia Messina
// Timestamp 07/24/26 11:58am
Gov. Shapiro declares it ‘LeBron James Day’
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro rings the bell before a 2024 Sixers game.Steven M. Falk / Staff Photographer
Gov. Josh Shapiro announced that Friday would be known as LeBron James Day in a proclamation posted on X following the announcement that the famed player would be signing with the 76ers.
“Pennsylvania is honored to welcome LeBron James to our Commonwealth as he joins the Philadelphia 76ers for his best season yet,” the proclamation reads.
Shapiro highlighted James’s record-breaking NBA career and philanthropic endeavors throughout the proclamation as a reason to dedicate the day to him.
“LeBron has prioritized giving back to his community by founding programs to help at-risk youth stay in school,” the proclamation says. “Funding scholarships and college support, establishing community hubs to address emergency housing, food insecurity, and other wraparound service needs, and much more — making LeBron one of the most charitable athletes in the world.”
LEBRON IS COMING TO PHILLY.
By the power vested in me as the Governor of the great Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and a die-hard Sixers fan… I hereby proclaim today to be LEBRON JAMES DAY.
Shortly after news broke that LeBron James planned on signing a two-year deal with the Sixers, the future Hall of Famer took to social media to explain his most recent decision. Here’s the full text:
“I thought I was done when the season ended. I wasn’t ready to announce it, and I knew I needed some time to really decide, but I was pretty sure I played my last game. I was honest at that last press conference when I said I needed to look at myself and decide if I still love this game. I still truly love this game, and I have more to give.
“The last few weeks have really been special. I’ve never been able to have no clue what to do and take real time to just think. I’ve had an incredible few months with all the people I love trying to figure it all out. This is my last decision. I’m not going for money. I’m not going for family. What am I really playing for at this point?
“I still want to sacrifice. I still want to work. I still want to grind. I still want to compete, to win and to have a chance at the feeling of winning another championship.
“I believe I can help make the Philadelphia 76ers a championship team and I am so excited to energize a new fan base and start this incredible journey one last time.
“Thank you LA. Miami I’ll forever love and Northeast Ohio will always home!”
LeBron James is signing with the Sixers, who immediately become one of the favorites to win the Eastern Conference.Charles Fox / Staff Photographer
Steph Curry changed the way basketball was played and the way boys and girls around the world wanted to play it, and among the fraternity of NBA players themselves, Kobe Bryant was more respected and feared, for his preparation and cutthroat competitiveness. But LeBron James has been greater longer than any other player in the sport (with the possible exception of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, if you count his Lew Alcindor/UCLA years).
Set aside, if possible, the four NBA championships and the 10 Finals appearances and the league’s career scoring record and the three Olympic gold medals and the other records he has set. His choreographed announcement in 2010 that he was leaving the Cleveland Cavaliers for the Miami Heat was the 21st century’s answer to the revelation that Kristin Shepard had pumped two bullets into J.R. Ewing’s belly. It changed everything about the power that elite players held over their respective teams because it showed elite players that they held power over their respective teams. Pro sports hasn’t been the same.
Finding an athlete comparable to James in popularity and influence is difficult enough, let alone one who arrived in Philadelphia during the middle stage or latter half of his career, after he had established his galactic superstardom. Wilt Chamberlain already had been a high school phenom here when the Warriors made him a territorial pick in the 1959 NBA draft. Julius Erving was the “Babe Ruth of basketball” — at least, that’s how Sixers general manager Pat Williams described him in trying to persuade owner Fitz Dixon to cough up the money to acquire Dr. J. But Erving had spent six years in the relative obscurity of the ABA; telling someone you had seen him play for the Virginia Squires or New York Nets, whether in person or on TV, was akin to claiming you had spotted a Sasquatch.
Allen Iverson was a pop-culture revolutionary with the Sixers for introducing hip-hop style and fashion into the mainstream; his on-court accomplishments, though, don’t stack up to James’. Bryce Harper was as well known as any player in Major League Baseball when he signed with the Phillies in 2019, but he didn’t and still doesn’t have anywhere near the global recognition and cachet that James does.
Right now, we’re still waiting for the NBA to release the Sixers’ full 2026-27 schedule, but on Monday some preseason games began to trickle out, including a pair against the Boston Celtics on Oct. 10 (away, 8 p.m.) and Oct. 16 (home, 7 p.m.). Both games will likely air on NBC Sports Philadelphia, but could be promoted to a national network.
And that’s assuming James even plays in the preseason.
At 41, James could opt to wait until the regular season opener to make his Sixers debut, although he has played in recent years, with the exception of last season when he also missed the first 14 regular-season games with sciatica.
Shooting guard: VJ Edgecombe, Anfernee Simons, Dalen Terry
Small forward: Jaylen Brown, Justin Edwards, Jabari Walker
Power forward: LeBron James, Dean Wade, Dominick Barlow
Center: Joel Embiid, Adem Bona, Ariel Hukporti, Johni Broome
// Timestamp 07/24/26 11:32am
Mike Gansey first earned LeBron’s respect as a player
A photo of Mike Gansey (far right) and LeBron James (to the left of Gansey) that originially appeared in the Plain Dealer. Gansey and James both played high school in Ohio.Courtesy of Steve Gansey
By now you’ve probably seen the picture. It was taken in 2000, and was on the front page of the Cleveland Plain Dealer’s sports section. Ten high school basketball players from Northeast Ohio stood side by side, in their respective jerseys.
The group had been voted by coaches and athletics directors as the best players in the region. There was Maverick Carter and Chester Mason (“Chet the Jet”) toward the left. Brian Swift was closer to the middle, alongside Mike Patrick.
But what caught everyone’s attention was to the far right: future Sixers president of basketball operations Mike Gansey, of Olmsted Falls High School, alongside future Hall of Famer LeBron James, of St. Vincent-St. Mary.
Gansey was a junior at the time; James was a freshman. Steve Gansey, Mike’s younger brother, posted the photo on X on July 1, with an eyeball emoji, promptly setting the Sixers fan base ablaze with speculation.
Before long, it received hundreds of retweets. Sixers fans sent Gansey direct messages asking if he had any information on whether James would consider coming to Philadelphia.
The truth is that James and Gansey never competed against each other on their high school teams. Olmsted Falls and St. Vincent-St. Mary were in different regions.
Olmsted Falls, which is on the west side of Cleveland, was grouped with schools in northwest Ohio, closer to Toledo. St. Vincent-St. Mary’s is south of Cleveland, and often played schools in the Akron-Canton area. It is possible they overlapped playing AAU ball, but if they did, Steve didn’t hear about it.
Despite their lack of competitive overlap, James and Mike Gansey shared a mutual respect. Over the years, Gansey frequently referred to the future Hall of Famer as the “greatest of all time.”
And James thought highly of the future executive, too. One time, when Gansey was playing in Europe, and James was in the midst of his first stint with the Cavaliers, the two brothers went to a game at Quicken Loans Arena (now Rocket Arena).
Gansey knew some of Cleveland’s players, from training with them during the summer, and went down to the tunnel to say hello.
“And we were probably 100 feet from where LeBron and his people were talking,” Steve recalled. “Someone said, ‘Ganz is over there.’ And LeBron totally walked the opposite way of where he was going, and went to dap up Mike, to say, ‘What’s up, hey man, how you doing?’ Just a quick hello.
“It just shows you the respect. And I was like, ‘Man, Mike, he really walked 100 feet over here, and just dapped you, and walked directly right back. That’s pretty cool.’ And Mike’s like, ‘Yeah, yeah, he’s a great guy,’ and that was it. I’ll always remember that.”
The Bron-O-Meter now officially reads: “It’s on!”Sam Morris
From the asterisk next to Tyrese Maxey’s name on Rich Paul’s white board to LeBron James saying he wants to “trust the process” — and from Steve Gansey’s viral picture to Tyrese Haliburton asking James if this was his 76th season — there have been no shortage of Easter eggs pointing to King James ultimately signing with the Sixers.
Were some of them random coincidences? Sure. Were some chum in the water for Sixers fans starving for a title? You bet. We may never know which was which, but you can recap it all — and see how each moment impacted his chances of ending up in Philly — with our patented Bron-O-Meter.
LeBron James, 41, is entering his 24th NBA season.Katie Chin
The 76ers had already shocked the NBA by acquiring Jaylen Brown in a blockbuster trade on July 2. They just one-upped themselves.
LeBron James, a legendary player and one of the most famous humans on planet Earth, is coming to Philly. According to ESPN, he agreed to a two-year contract with the Sixers on Friday in one of the more improbable roster additions in franchise history.
The second monumental move in a month further illustrates that the Sixers are making the all-in push toward championship contention in the Eastern Conference, joining a Toronto Raptors team that has reacquired Kawhi Leonard and a Miami Heat team that traded for Giannis Antetokounmpo in recent days.
New Sixers president of basketball operations Mike Gansey has now assembled a starting five featuring arguably the best player of all time in James, a former NBA Most Valuable Player in Joel Embiid, a five-time All-Star in his prime in Brown, and ascending guards Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe. And James was willing to take a veteran’s minimum contract to join this group.
