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Tag: LeBron James

  • Four more years? Agent Rich Paul thinks Sixers will ‘energize’ LeBron and could extend his career

    Four more years? Agent Rich Paul thinks Sixers will ‘energize’ LeBron and could extend his career

    LeBron James signed a two-year contract to end his career with the Sixers, but his agent and longtime friend, Rich Paul, recently suggested that it’s possible James plays for even longer.

    “I think Philadelphia’s going to energize him,” Paul told ESPN. “Maybe we get two [seasons]. Maybe we get four.”

    James, who is entering his 24th NBA season, is currently 41, and will turn 42 on Dec. 30. He will be the oldest active player in the NBA next season, but he’s far from the oldest ever.

    Rich Paul explains the Tyrese Maxey asterisk and how the Sixers learned LeBron James’ decision

    Where does LeBron rank among oldest all-time NBA players?

    James will begin the season as the ninth-oldest player in NBA history. If he completes his two season contract with the Sixers, he would retire as the fourth-oldest player in NBA history.

    The oldest player to ever play an NBA game was Nat Hickey, who played his final game on Jan. 28, 1948 at 45 years, 363 days old.

    Even if James were to play four more seasons — and retire after the 2029-30 season — he still would not claim the top spot, because of his late December birthday. But he could finish second, and would be the oldest of any modern-era NBA player.

    Draymond Green is right about VJ Edgecombe. But he couldn’t be more wrong about LeBron James. | David Murphy

    Have any grandfathers played in the NBA before?

    OK, as far as we know, Bronny James does not have a child, nor is he close to having one any time soon. But, he is 21, so it’s not completely out of the realm of possibility that, if James were to play as many as four more NBA seasons, he could become a father at some point during that span — and make LeBron a grandfather.

    So for the purposes of speculation, there has only been one previous player to play in an NBA game while also having a grandchild: Robert Parish, who became a grandfather at age 42 and went on to play another NBA season.

  • Sixers’ LeBron James passes Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani for most jersey sales after switching teams

    Sixers’ LeBron James passes Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani for most jersey sales after switching teams

    LeBron James’ 76ers merch was selling out almost as soon as the 22-time NBA All-Star decided to sign a two-year, $8 million contract with the team.

    After James shocked the sports world, choosing the Sixers over Cleveland and Miami, the future Hall of Famer’s jersey has been the highest-selling of a player joining a new team across all sports — surpassing Shohei Ohtani’s move to the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2023, according to Fanatics.

    The sports merchandise giant also said that within the first 24 hours after news broke, more James Sixers merchandise was sold than the first week after his announcement that he was joining the Los Angeles Lakers in 2018. This should come as no surprise, since roughly two hours after his decision, all first editions of the No. 23 jersey were sold out on the Fanatics website. The company also is selling a signed James trading card by Topps (which it acquired in 2022) and plans to release other items.

    Mitchell & Ness, which is another part of Fanatics’ portfolio, declined to give hard sales numbers on James merch.

    “However, outside of recent marquee events in our Philly market, the launch of the LeBron Witness T-shirt and all Sixers gear was one of our strongest single-day retail performances, exceeding internal expectations compared to event-driven activations like the 250th celebration, FIFA, and MLB All-Star,” said Dexter Childs, Mitchell & Ness’ manager for cultural marketing and partnerships.

    Mitchell & Ness said Thursday that its black T-shirt featuring James and a Sixers logo was back in stock and that it would be dropping more merch next week.

    Fanatics is owned by Michael Rubin, a Lafayette Hill native who previously was part-owner of the Sixers.

    Since Friday, James merchandise has accounted for eight of the top 10 selling products across all sports throughout the Fanatics network of sites, which includes NBAStore.com, SixersShop.com, and Fanatics.com.

    Inquirer staff writer Emily Bloch contributed to this article.

  • Rich Paul explains the Tyrese Maxey asterisk and how the Sixers learned LeBron James’ decision

    Rich Paul explains the Tyrese Maxey asterisk and how the Sixers learned LeBron James’ decision

    The Sixers’ leaders found out that they landed LeBron James in a group text.

    The team’s ownership, front office, and Klutch Sports client Tyrese Maxey received a four-word message from Rich Paul, Klutch CEO and James’ agent.

    “Congrats,” the text said. “Sixers it is.”

    “I didn’t have time to text everybody,” Paul said on the Game Over podcast. “I had to put them all in a group chat.”

    With LeBron James joining the Sixers, NBC Sports Philadelphia looks to staff up

    Maxey, who occasionally works out with James during the summer and is one of Klutch Sports’ key clients, played a big role in the decision. During an earlier podcast episode, in which Paul broke down potential destinations for James, he put a star next to Maxey’s name.

    “Maxey led the charge on the Sixers,” Paul said. “He was starred on there because, number one, the Sixers went through a change. It became Tyrese Maxey’s team. It’s still Tyrese Maxey’s team.

    “Additionally, there was a star beside Tyrese’s name because, the fact that I represent Tyrese, I’ve been around him for seven years now, we talk all the time. LeBron has spent time with him. I know that that’s a positive, based on the type of person.”

    When assessing potential landing spots, James and Paul broke down numerous teams and tried to identify the potential issues with each spot. Maxey’s demeanor ultimately helped the Sixers earn much more consideration.

    Sixers guard Tyrese Maxey (right) played a key role in luring James to Philly.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer

    Paul said that Anthony Davis, who played with James on the Lakers, was an example of the type of personality that meshes well with James. Davis was unconcerned about taking the spotlight and stayed focused on his family and on basketball.

    “Same thing with Tyrese, I know that it’s a positive because he’s been around; they work out together,” Paul said. “He’s embracing the fact that, ‘Hey, if we can land this guy, I understand what comes with it, and I’m comfortable in my own skin and by the way, I want to win. I want the best chance of winning.’”

    James met with Cleveland brass in Akron, Ohio, over the summer before signing, ESPN insider Shams Charania said. While many perceived Cleveland to be the favorite going in — so much so that Sixers president of basketball operations Mike Gansey told ESPN that his neighbors got mad at him for “taking” James — Paul said far more teams were under consideration than he discussed publicly.

    “We never really heard from the Sixers, because the Sixers never really thought there was even a chance,” Paul said. Once Jaylen Brown was traded to Philadelphia, his conversations with James about the Sixers took a total 180.

    Draymond Green is right about VJ Edgecombe. But he couldn’t be more wrong about LeBron James.

    Paul also told ESPN that he thinks the move could end with James playing for longer than just his two-year contract.

    “I think Philadelphia’s going to energize him,” Paul told ESPN. “Maybe we get two [seasons]. Maybe we get four.”

    But despite all the hype around James’ signing, Paul still doesn’t believe this makes the Sixers frontrunners for an NBA title.

    “The Sixers aren’t favorites to win it all,” Paul said. “I don’t think they are the best team in the league.”

  • How LeBron James could impact Philadelphia’s economy, according to local experts

    How LeBron James could impact Philadelphia’s economy, according to local experts

    LeBron James is set to make $8 million over two years with his move to the Philadelphia 76ers. But how much money will the city’s economy get out of the deal?

    “It’s hard to precisely quantify, sitting here today, what that exact number is going to be,” said Ethan Conner-Ross of Econsult Solutions Inc., a Philadelphia-based economics policy consulting firm.

    Of course there’s James’ own money as a high-earning professional coming into the region — including any local taxes he’d pay, and the money he would spend to rent or buy a place in the Philly region, though rumors suggest he might commute from New York.

    The greater economic impact depends on how many consumer dollars come into the city that wouldn’t have without James joining the Sixers.

    “The level of interest in the team, and then ultimately the success of the team, could definitely play out in more economic activity in a few different ways,” including short- and long-term outcomes, Conner-Ross said.

    History provides some idea of how this athlete could financially benefit the city.

    A 2017 Harvard study found that James’ presence in Cleveland and Miami was tied to an increase in the number of food and beverage businesses within a mile of the arenas in those cities and a boost in employment at those establishments.

    Moody’s Analytics economist Matt Colyar says James’ presence won’t increase housing prices in the area or lower the unemployment rate, but if the team performs well and ends up playing more playoff games, that could fill up restaurants, bars, and hotels with Sixers fans on additional days.

    “All that is serious dollars,” Colyar said, “but not the kind of thing that makes us revisit our forecast for Philadelphia’s long-term trajectory.”

    Where will money be spent?

    In the short-term, James’ move could mean more ticket sales and jerseys bought, Conner-Ross said. It likely means more media and more fans coming to town for games.

    Early signs suggest this is already happening. Fanatics, the sports apparel company, sold out of some LeBron James Sixers jerseys within hours of the announcement Friday that he would join the team. Preseason ticket prices have risen as well, 6abc Action News reported.

    LeBron James Sixers jerseys are already selling out on Fanatics — but more merch is on the way

    How much money stays in Philadelphia will be a “tourism story,” Conner-Ross said. Hotels, restaurants, and bars near the arena or downtown could benefit.

    Some of the money spent by locals on James-related experiences and merch may have been spent locally anyway, Conner-Ross said. That could still be positive for the city, he said.

    A billboard welcome sign for new Sixers LeBron James along Packer Avenue in South Philadelphia on July 24.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer

    “Philadelphia entertainment activities are not the only things competing for those dollars,” he said. “These folks have the ability to spend their entertainment dollars at the Shore or going to New York, or what have you.”

    If “they’re excited about the Sixers and spend more in town, it’s probably a net positive,” Conner-Ross said.

    Boosting Philly’s reputation

    Some of the James effect — like more media exposure and nationally televised games for the Sixers — will make money for non-Philly beneficiaries.

    “Those aren’t dollars that are going to support public parks in Philadelphia,” Colyar said.

    But there could be a reputational gain, Conner-Ross said. Hosting the World Cup, the All-Star Game, and other events have helped Philadelphia be seen in a positive light, he noted, and James could similarly contribute to the city’s image.

    “Philadelphia is … competing with other East Coast cities, other places in the country, in the world for residents, for visitors, for businesses, and that reputation really does matter,” Conner-Ross said.

    That kind of influence can have financial consequences, even if it’s hard to measure in exact dollars.

    LeBron James could live in NYC while playing for Philly. He wouldn’t be the first Sixer to do it.

    International soccer star Lionel Messi, for example, helped raise Miami’s profile in the soccer world as well as attract tourism, and the Wall Street Journal says some have estimated that his presence on Inter Miami has generated billions of dollars for the city.

    To be sure, Messi’s and James’ situations are like apples and oranges — or soccer balls and basketballs — in part because they’re playing out in different cities.

    In any case, the influence of a star like James could have a trickle-down effect.

    People aren’t “going to necessarily point to LeBron James and say, ‘Now I have to live there,’” Conner-Ross said. But “it affects their perception of Philadelphia as a place that people choose.”

  • With LeBron James joining the Sixers, NBC Sports Philadelphia looks to staff up

    With LeBron James joining the Sixers, NBC Sports Philadelphia looks to staff up

    Like everyone else, Sixers announcer Alaa Abdelnaby was shocked when news broke LeBron James was coming to Philadelphia.

    Now he’s settling into the reality of calling games featuring the future Hall of Famer, who passed up a return to Cleveland to sign a two-year deal with the Sixers.

    “I don’t think it was a farewell swan song he was looking for,” Abdelnaby said. “He’s still looking to win.”

    It’s a wild swing for Abdelnaby, who is entering his 11th season calling Sixers games. His was hired in the middle of “The Process” and Philly lost 72 games during his first season as a color analyst. Now the team is coming off an exciting playoff upset of the Boston Celtics and added two superstars in James and Jaylen Brown.

    “In Philadelphia we’re not used to having nice things,” Abdelnaby joked. “All eyes are going to be on you. I think everybody has to pick up their game a little bit.”

    LeBron James chose Philly over Cleveland, Miami, Los Angeles, and San Francisco. Yong Kim / Staff Photographer

    That’s true for the network as well. Alexandra Matcham, the vice president of content for NBC Sports Philadelphia, said it was budgeting in hopes of staffing up for the season.

    “If you get a generational talent on your team, it could easily become a situation where the people that work for us are burnt out by December, and you don’t want that,” Matcham said. “You need extra help.”

    That’s a welcome change in an era where regional sports networks like NBC Sports Philadelphia have been hit hard by cord cutting. How things shape up remains unclear, but Matcham said there are several possibilities.

    “It’d be helpful if somebody who’s followed and covered him were on our staff,” Matcham said. “Maybe we add people like that.”

    For years, NBC Sports Philadelphia and its predecessor, Comcast SportsNet, turned to reporters like Serena Winters and Taryn Hatcher for Sixers broadcasts. The network is weighing whether to add a third voice alongside Abdelnaby and play-by-play announcer Kate Scott, but the role wouldn’t be confined to baseline updates.

    “As I’m talking to my colleagues, I’m not even calling it a reporter role because I feel like it’s going to give them a stereotype I don’t necessarily mean,” Matcham said.

    “I think you need a voice on the court where Alaa and Kate can’t be to give us insight, do pre- and postgame interviews, analysis, all of that,” Matcham added. “It’s a very hard job to do.”

    A lot more national TV exposure for the Sixers

    NBC Sports Philadelphia announcers Kate Scott and Alaa Abdelnaby will be in the spotlight this season. Steven M. Falk / Staff Photographer

    While the NBA hasn’t released its 2026-27 schedule, Matcham expects NBC Sports Philadelphia to air fewer Sixers games.

    The network, which has broadcast Sixers games since 1997, is guaranteed at least 67 games this season as part of its deal with the NBA. It’s widely expected the league will take 15 Sixers games — the most allowed under their current TV deal — and put them in exclusive national windows on ABC, NBC, and Amazon’s Prime Video.

    “LeBron’s arrival in Philadelphia instantly becomes one of the biggest stories in sports and adds even more star power and intrigue to an already loaded NBA schedule,” said Justin Byczek, NBC’s executive vice president of programming and rights management. “His move elevates some of the league’s most historic rivalries, including highly anticipated battles with the defending NBA Champion New York Knicks.”

    Another 19 games are expected to air nationally and on NBC Sports Philadelphia as side-by-sides on Peacock, ESPN, and NBA TV. That’s 34 national games for the Sixers, compared to just 14 when the schedule was announced last season.

    Under the NBA’s current media rights contract, every NBA team is guaranteed at least two national broadcasts. Only the most popular teams land 34, the max allowed under the 11-year, $76 billion TV deal.

    It’s a great outcome for the NBA. The Lakers remain relevant with Luka Dončić, while James’ decision to join the Sixers will juice interest in matchups against the Knicks, Cleveland Cavaliers, Denver Nuggets, and Miami Heat, who were spurned by LeBron but landed Giannis Antetokounmpo. There’s also the Sixers-Celtics rivalry, already heightened by Philly trading for Jaylen Brown.

    “Christmas Day and all the top-level NBA nights, you’re going to see the Sixers,” said Jon Lewis, a TV ratings expert who runs the Sports Media Watch website. “Plus the national networks will have LeBron on the East Coast to showcase in that 8 o’clock window. That’s primetime, after all.”

    What remains unclear is what impact James will have on NBC Sports Philadelphia’s viewership numbers. Last season, the network averaged 86,000 viewers per game, according to Nielsen numbers obtained by The Inquirer. That was a 25% increase compared to the 2024-25 season, when the Sixers lost 58 games and missed the playoffs.

    Lewis said he would expect local ratings to go up in Philly if the 41-year-old stays healthy and the Sixers are big-time contenders. But he also noted just one Lakers game was among the 30 most-watched NBA games last season

    “I would set expectations higher,” Lewis said, “just not overwhelmingly high for where he is at this point.”

    The interest will also carry over to the Sixers three preseason games, beginning with their Oct. 8 matchup on the road against the Brooklyn Nets. Historically NBC Sports Philadelphia hasn’t covered those road preseason games, but that could change with James on the team.

    “It’s the first preseason game with LeBron in a Sixers jersey,” Abdelnaby said. “So if our bosses were to say, ‘Listen, we’re covering that,’ I wouldn’t be surprised.”

    NBC Sports Philadelphia is also looking to create more content to meet the high level of interest James will draw. That includes everything from adding and upgrading cameras throughout the arena to tinkering with in-game graphics and production equipment.

    “Every game is going to mean something big,” Matcham said, “so everything we do has to show that off.”

  • This Delco man sunburned LeBron James’ jersey into his back in Sea Isle. He called it an act of ‘Philly toughness’

    This Delco man sunburned LeBron James’ jersey into his back in Sea Isle. He called it an act of ‘Philly toughness’

    Joey Abel was born in Drexel Hill and raised in Broomall, but now works in insurance in New York. For the past few months, the 28-year-old has been surrounded by hordes of Knicks fans, reveling in their long-sought championship.

    It has not been a pleasant experience. Like most Delaware County natives, Abel supports Philadelphia’s pro sports teams, through good times and bad.

    This included the Process years, when the Sixers were winning as few as 10 games a season. Even then, Abel was all-in. He was drawn to the analytical mind of Sam Hinkie, the excitement of Tony Wroten, and, of course, the hope of a bright future.

    Joey Abel with his nephew, Lucas.provided by Joey Abel

    At 11:30 a.m. Friday, that hope was realized. Abel was traveling from Atlantic City to Sea Isle City with his aunt, Rita, for a family vacation down the Shore, when he saw that LeBron James was coming to Philadelphia.

    He couldn’t believe his eyes. Back in May, the Sixers had seemed rudderless; a team encumbered by big contracts with a small window. Now, Abel believed they had their missing piece, a future Hall of Famer who could lead them out of the wilderness.

    The Malvern Prep alumnus was ecstatic. So as he approached the beach, he decided to celebrate in a way only a Philadelphian could: by suffering just a little bit more.

    As Abel and his family planted chairs into the sand around the 56th Street beach in Sea Isle, an idea occurred to him. His nephews used a blue zinc sunscreen stick to protect themselves from the sun.

    Eager to show his devotion to the King, Abel asked his sister, Jill, to write “James” and “23″ into his back, with no sunscreen applied anywhere else.

    “I don’t even know [how I thought of it],” Abel said. “I was just like, ‘How can I get a LeBron James jersey as fast as possible?’ And for some reason, that’s where my mind went.”

    With few clouds in the sky and a forecast in the high 70s, the conditions were perfect for a roast. Abel played with his nephews in the water and returned to the beach, lying flat on his stomach as he burned to a crisp.

    Joey Abel and family in Sea Isle City.provided by Joey Abel

    About an hour later, his family rubbed the sunscreen off to find a semi-permanent LeBron James jersey seared into his back.

    “I was like, ‘All right, I want to see if I can get this good,’” Abel said. “And it got good.”

    The reactions from nearby beachgoers were predictably hilarious. One man walked up to Abel and asked if he’d lost a bet. A few others sheepishly requested a photo of his scorching-red “James 23.”

    His mother, Annette, was less enthused.

    “They were all just embarrassed,” Abel said. “They’re like, ‘Joe, are you kidding me?’”

    Later that night, he went out with Jill to the Ocean Drive, and met a fellow Sixers fan at the bar. The Delco native felt compelled to share his act of sacrifice.

    “I couldn’t not show him the giant LeBron sunburn on my back,” he said.

    Before long, the scene became a “photo shoot,” with others asking to take photos of Abel’s de facto tattoo.

    This was Day 1 of the Abel’s family vacation. The 28-year-old will be in Sea Isle until Sunday and has no plans to apply aloe vera before then.

    “It does hurt, but I did it, right?” he said. “I’m going to have to keep it. I don’t really want it to fade as fast. Philly toughness, like LeBron’s going to learn.”

    Abel says James’ decision has helped soften the blow of the Knicks’ recent championship. He’s now excited to return to New York City in the fall and hopes to see the Sixers in person when he does.

    But don’t expect him to go anywhere near Madison Square Garden.

    “I think I’m going to have to go to a Nets game,” he said.

  • Draymond Green is right about VJ Edgecombe. But he couldn’t be more wrong about LeBron James.

    Draymond Green is right about VJ Edgecombe. But he couldn’t be more wrong about LeBron James.

    Draymond Green is wrong about one thing. VJ Edgecombe’s agent should be ecstatic. If he isn’t, then Edgecombe should find a new agent. There are only a small handful of people who have more to gain from LeBron James signing with the Sixers, and all of them own charter helicopter services that fly between New York and Philly.

    That’s not to say we should completely dismiss the concern raised by Green in a recent podcast episode.

    “If I’m VJ Edgecombe’s agent, I’m not sure I’m happy with the summer that the 76ers have had,” said Green, the star power forward whose Warriors were among a number of contenders that had hoped to land James. “Like you go from being sometimes the second option when [Joel] Embiid was out to sometimes being the fifth option. It’s a big, big difference.”

    Green isn’t wrong about the overarching issue. What he’s missing is that the issue predated James, and that James is much more likely to alleviate it than exacerbate it.

    Nick Nurse will need to be mindful of Edgecombe’s usage rate. On a team with three prime-aged players accustomed to getting 20-plus shots per game plus LeBron, the Sixers would be doing themselves a disservice if they allowed Edgecombe to pause his superstar progression to spend a couple of seasons as a glorified Josh Hart. I don’t know if I’d go so far as to call it a concern. But it is most definitely an unknown, one that carries some downside risk. Green is right about that.

    Edgecombe’s superstar flashes as a rookie occurred in moments and stretches where he operated as the primary option. We got the best glimpses of the guy he could become in the moments where the Sixers needed him to be that guy: when the offense ran through him, when the success or failure of the possession at hand was his to dictate. Remember the 20 points he scored in the first half against the Celtics in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference semis? Edgecombe scored five unassisted buckets during that heater. Four of them were pull-up jumpers, including a 27-footer from three-point range.

    Sixers guard VJ Edgecombe will be a key member of one of the NBA’s best five-man lineups.Monica Herndon / Staff Photographer

    That aspect of Edgecombe’s game is why NBA folks mention guys like Jimmy Butler and Dwyane Wade when talking about his potential. Neither is a perfect comp. Butler is a better one than Wade. They both make sense from a stylistic viewpoint. Wade and Butler are/were two of the best at methodically getting to their spots and then owning that spot. That’s something a player needs to develop, both in terms of feel and in terms of pacing. So, yeah, it’s a potential drawback if Edgecombe always gets last dibs on spots. I’m just not sure I agree with Green that LeBron compounds the potential issue. I actually think he could prove to be a godsend for Edgecombe.

    Two things you can say about James throughout his career. One, he recognizes talent; and, two, he is willing, even eager, to facilitate things for that talent. That’s especially true of young talent.

    Kyrie Irving flourished alongside James in Cleveland. So did Austin Reaves in Los Angeles. James has played with a slew of young up-and-comers who didn’t have nearly the talent that Edgecombe has. All had plenty of opportunities. Kyle Kuzma and Brandon Ingram both averaged at least 18 shots per 100 possessions when they were on the court with James during his first year with the Lakers. Malik Monk had arguably the best season of his career as a 23-year-old Laker. D’Angelo Russell’s most efficient seasons — really, his only efficient seasons — came during the 125 games he played with the LeBron Lakers.

    Two years ago, Russell, James and Anthony Davis all averaged between 14 and 18 shots per game, while Reaves and Rui Hachimura both got between 10 and 12. Keep in mind, James and Davis both played 70-plus games and 35-plus minutes per night that season.

    Nurse will be able to find spots to let Edgecombe do his thing. James only played in 60 games last season. Embiid has played in 96 total over the last three seasons. During the course of a game, you could see a lineup with Edgecombe, Dean Wade, Anfernee Simons, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and a backup center on the court together.

    Can LeBron and the Sixers win it all? We ran the numbers.

    James shouldn’t be a drag on Edgecombe. He should be a force multiplier. There’d be a bigger reason for concern without him. Really, it’s what makes the signing of James so transformative. Before, there was some real reason to wonder how well Edgecombe and Maxey would mesh with a couple of ball-dominant alphas who both feel as if they have a lot left to prove. James’ biggest benefit to the Sixers is his ability to smooth that dynamic, not so much in the locker room but on the court with his style of play and commanding presence. There’s a very real world where he ends up serving as the bridge connector between the younger and older halves of the foursome.

    The biggest winners of last week’s wild turn of events were Edgecombe and his financial dependents. Them, and the Air Redick operators.

  • From ‘Point LeBron’ to King James’ legacy, here’s what national experts are saying about the Sixers

    From ‘Point LeBron’ to King James’ legacy, here’s what national experts are saying about the Sixers

    The 76ers have had a successful offseason under new president of basketball operations Mike Gansey. They traded for Jaylen Brown earlier this month and recently signed all-time great LeBron James to a two-year, $8 million contract.

    The team’s latest additions have made the Sixers early title contenders and turned them into the center of attention. But plenty of questions still surround the team. For instance, how will James fit into the lineup? Where does his legacy stand? And who’s under the most pressure entering the season?

    Here’s everything they’re saying about James and the Sixers:

    Point LeBron?

    James is joining a team that has former league MVP Joel Embiid, rising star VJ Edgecombe, five-time All-Star Jaylen Brown, and two-time All-Star Tyrese Maxey, who has already been training with James this offseason.

    When it comes to James’ role on the team, ESPN’s Shams Charania said Philly fans can expect him to occasionally run point.

    “We’re going to be looking at some ‘Point LeBron James’ this upcoming season,” Charania said on NBA Today. “Tyrese Maxey last season played a lot on the ball at point guard … think of a better player that can set the table for Tyrese Maxey, Jaylen Brown, Joel Embiid, VJ Edgecombe.”

    During the 2019-20 season, James started regularly at point guard and averaged a career high 10.2 assists and led the Lakers to their 17th NBA championship.

    And, according to NBA insider Brian Windhorst, running point was part of the pitch to get James, a 22-time All-Star, to Philly.

    “I will just say that LeBron has played point guard for every team he’s ever played,” Windhorst said on First Take. “He may not have been the starting point guard, he’s played point guard on his teams since he was 12 years old. The amount of time he has played point guard has varied, and that is what the 76ers are going to be looking at.

    “Putting LeBron at point guard for set stretches of the game fits. Also, VJ Edgecombe is a combo guard. Maxey’s a combo guard, Anfernee Simons is a combo guard. LeBron has been great with good combo guards next to him throughout his career. Mo Williams, Kyrie Irving, Austin Reaves. This makes a ton of sense, and it’s a really good insight into how the Sixers are thinking.”

    ‘LeBron is playing for a different legacy’

    James joining the Sixers may have been the biggest surprise, compared to other teams in the running, like the Miami Heat and Cleveland Cavaliers. And after joining such a stacked roster, James has been criticized for ring chasing — but NBA Hall of Famer and four-time NBA champion Shaquille O’Neal defended James against the allegations.

    “I don’t like y’all calling my man a ring chaser,” O’Neal said on The Stephen A. Smith Show. “It’s funny to me the people that don’t have rings are saying, ‘Oh, he’s a ring chaser.’ No, he’s continuance chasing. He’s chasing the chance to continue to be great, to continue to add legacy to his book.

    “You know and I know when this thing is over, it’s over. You can’t come back. Once you retire, once your body says, ‘I can’t go no more,’ it’s over. This guy feels he has two, three years left. Why not try to get another championship? I did it. I did it with Boston after I won three in a row and then won one in Miami. Hey, toward the end of my career, let me go play with Paul [Pierce] and [Kevin Garnett], be like the fourth guy. Rebound, set picks. See if I can win one. That’s what he’s doing.”

    James already has accomplished so much throughout his career: he’s the NBA’s all-time scoring leader, a four-time MVP and NBA champion, a 22-time NBA All-Star, was the 2003-04 Rookie of the Year, and has won three Olympic gold medals.

    But Charania believes he could be chasing another legacy.

    “It’s no doubt LeBron is playing for a different legacy, and the legacy being the only player in NBA history to win a championship with four different teams,” Charania said on The Stephen A. Smith Show. “And he’s playing on borrowed time. A player has never gone into the 23rd season, much less a 24th or 25th season. So it’s like he’s playing with spare change now.”

    Embiid or James under more pressure?

    Entering the season, the Sixers have high expectations. The Sixers have the third-best odds, according to DraftKings, at +900, trailing the San Antonio Spurs (+270) and the Oklahoma City Thunder (+270).

    But who will be under the most pressure: James or Embiid?

    “The most pressure is on LeBron James,” radio personality Evan Cohen said on First Take. “That’s what he signed up for. I think the least pressure is on Embiid. I think this is the lowest pressure he’s had on him all career. I don’t think there’s ever been a point in Joel Embiid’s career that he’s had less pressure. You know why? You know how many games he has to play in the regular season? Zero. If he doesn’t play a single game, it doesn’t matter. You know how many games you have to play in the postseason? Enough for them to win.”

    But O’Neal seems to disagree.

    “When I heard Philadelphia, I was like, ‘Oh, I wasn’t expecting that,’ but then when I sat down, I’m like, ‘Damn, him, Maxey, Edgecombe, Embiid, Jaylen Brown. Uh-oh, we could have something serious,’” O’Neal said. “And guess what? And guess whose shoulder it leans on? Joel Embiid. … Yeah, [he’s the one with the pressure]. Not LeBron. Not Jaylen Brown. Joel Embiid. Because you know why? Even if LeBron doesn’t win, LeBron is still one, two, or three in people’s eyes. You know that, I know that. So, Joel. Time for him to step up.”

    ‘Biggest threat to the New York Knicks’

    The New York Knicks swept the Sixers in the second round of the NBA playoffs and ultimately beat the Spurs to claim the title. Entering the 2026-27 season, the Knicks and Sixers share the same odds to win the championship (+900) on DraftKings.

    “Obviously, you have an MVP Joel Embiid, you have an up-and-coming superstar in Tyrese Maxey, and you have LeBron James, who still, on any given day, can be a top-10 player in the sport,” SiriusXM NBA host David Shepard said on the Freddie and Harry podcast. “And so because we have not had a repeat champion in the last eight years, we haven’t even had a repeat champion make it back to the NBA Finals this decade.

    “It’s going to be the 76ers as the biggest threat to the New York Knicks, as opposed to the other way around. … LeBron James is a once-in-a-lifetime athlete, and anywhere he goes, gentlemen, as you know, by Year 2, they’re NBA champions. That’s why the 76ers are the bigger threat to the Knicks than the other way around.”

  • A Philly street artist installed a LeBron James mirror mosaic on an old Burger King wall. Why? ‘It explains itself.’

    A Philly street artist installed a LeBron James mirror mosaic on an old Burger King wall. Why? ‘It explains itself.’

    Street artist irregular. rarely cries. But when LeBron James announced he was going to end his NBA career with the Sixers, he shed a single tear — and then got to work.

    Within 48 hours, after a sleepless Friday night, his mirrored tribute to James was up on the side of a Center City building.

    “Someone said, ‘Oh, that was so fast!’” irregular., whose full name is Sean Hassett, said Tuesday. “I don’t think it was fast enough. Actually, I think it could have been a little quicker.”

    LeBron James and nine other stars who stunned Philly simply by coming here

    As soon as rumors began to swirl that James could potentially join the Sixers, the 37-year-old artist began to pull reference images, knowing that if it happened, he’d want to make art of it. He had a gut feeling it was going to happen.

    “Philly just felt like — why would they even say it if it wasn’t going to be true?” Hassett said. “I was a firm believer three weeks ago.”

    As the weeks wore on, his hope started to dim, but that changed late last week. Within two hours of James announcing his decision, Hassett had already drawn out what he wanted the piece to look like, and then spent the night cutting out each piece of mirror.

    Hassett usually sells art at Rittenhouse Square on Saturdays, but instead spent most of this past Saturday afternoon walking around Center City to scout potential locations for the piece. He ultimately settled on a building at Eighth and Market, the site of a former Burger King.

    “King James, Burger King, I don’t know,” he said. “It’s a weird tie. I love the slogans that Burger King uses, which is what I used as my captions on my Instagram. One of them is ‘There’s a new king and it’s you.’ That makes perfect sense for exactly what I did. I mirrored LeBron James. Their classic slogan is ‘Have it your way,’ and I felt like that’s what the Sixers chose this year, is to have it our way, and we’re going to just put all the chips in and go for it all.”

    Adam Hock, of Center City, saw on Facebook about the LeBron James mosaic on Eighth and Market Streets on Tuesday.Tyger Williams / Staff Photographer

    Hassett has been creating mirror art for 11 years. He started as a painter, but as he developed his skills, he yearned to find a way to stand out from the crowd. Working with mirrors became his medium.

    “The viewer can see themselves in the art,” he said. “It explains itself. It speaks for itself, truly, I would say.”

    Unauthorized LeBron James merch up for grabs outside Philly’s stadiums and down the Shore

    Hassett estimated that, at this point, an average project takes him six hours to finish, but the James project ended up taking closer to 10.

    It’s not his first tribute to a Philly athlete either.

    Hassett created a mirrored Saquon Barkley and put it up a week before Super Bowl LIX, since he was that confident the Birds would win. His Allen Iverson mirror art, created after the Sixers unveiled their small practice facility statue, is still up on Third and South Streets.

    LeBron James could live in NYC while playing for Philly. He wouldn’t be the first Sixer to do it.

    “I see [sports] as the true glue of the city,” he said. “I remember the Eagles parade, and I have a bit of social anxiety. I don’t like large groups, but [at] that parade I was literally shoulder-to-shoulder, toe-to-toe with people, and there was nothing better than the energy there.

    “I think we’re going to get that back. We think this year was great, but I think there’s just more great years to come here in Philly.”

  • LeBron James and nine other stars who stunned Philly simply by coming here

    LeBron James and nine other stars who stunned Philly simply by coming here

    Jayson Werth was sleeping on his couch when Pat Gillick called him in the winter of 2006. Zack Wheeler is one of the best pitchers in baseball yet wasn’t the highest-paid pitcher in his free-agent class.

    If we’re talking about the best signings in Philadelphia sports history then Werth — a flier who became an essential piece of a great Phillies era — and Wheeler — an underpaid pitcher who should’ve won two Cy Young Awards — would have a case. But that’s not this list.

    These are the 10 players whose arrival to Philadelphia via trade or free agency made you stop in your tracks, text your group chats, and blast sports talk radio as if it was your favorite song. These are the acquisitions that felt like championships. Would anyone have been opposed if the Sixers dropped a banner last week that said “We Signed LeBron?”

    Here’s a list of 10 players (including LeBron James) who brought Philadelphia to a halt in the last 50 years simply by coming here.

    Honorable mentions: Jeremy Roenick, A.J. Brown, Trea Turner, Kyle Schwarber, Peter Forsberg, Ricky Watters, Paul Coffey, Lance Parrish.

    Saquon Barkley smiles while meeting with the local media during an introductory news conference in March 2024.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer

    10. Saquon Barkley, 2024

    It’s easy to forget now but this move was met by some with trepidation: Why did the Eagles pay for a running back? How much does Barkley have left? Those questions were soon dismissed and the fanfare around the trade only grew that summer when John Mara said he would lose sleep if Barkley was an Eagle. Then, Barkley scored three times against Green Bay to open a special season. There was never a reason to have angst.

    Jim Thome hit 89 home runs in his first two seasons with the Phillies.

    9. Jim Thome, 2002

    How important was it to land Jim Thome? Even Johnny Doc got involved. The Phillies were a season away from opening Citizens Bank Park and needed a big name to drum up interest in a franchise that hadn’t done much since 1993. Enter Thome. The Phillies blew him away with an offer that Cleveland could not match. The Phils were suddenly relevant again.

    Cliff Lee, being presented with his jersey during a news conference, had a 2.94 ERA in five seasons with the Phillies.Laurence Kesterson / Staff Photographer

    8. Cliff Lee, 2010

    The excitement felt two months earlier with the arrival of Roy Halladay was tempered by the accompanying trade of Lee to Seattle. Lee became a hero in October of 2009 when he casually dominated the Yankees in the World Series. In December, he was gone. And it was pure joy when the Phils operated in secret — they were the “Mystery Team” — and signed Lee late at night at the winter meetings. Lee’s return was doubly sweet when it was reported that he picked the Phils over a better offer from the Yankees. The Four Aces were assembled 12 days before Christmas and the Daily News headline the next morning nailed it: Merry Cliffmas.

    Terrell Owens is all smiles after a September 2004 Eagles win.JERRY LODRIGUSS / Staff Photographer

    7. Terrell Owens, 2004

    You knew Owens’ arrival was a big deal when they lit up “WE GOT T.O.” at the top of the PECO building, which then felt like the city’s way to celebrate big events. It took 12 days for the Eagles to land Owens, who had agreed to a deal with the Eagles before the 49ers traded him to Baltimore after his agent missed the deadline to void the final years of his contract and make him a free agent. A hearing was held at Penn where lawyers from the NFL and NFLPA argued if Owens should have been granted free agency. The parties agreed on a settlement: a three-way trade between the Eagles, 49ers, and Ravens that brought Owens to Philly. The team landed the piece they were missing after three straight losses in the NFC Championship Game. The party — remember his first preseason game? — was on.

    The Daily News on July 1, 1992 with the news that the Flyers won the rights to 19-year-old center Eric Lindros, completing a blockbuster deal with Quebec.

    6. Eric Lindros, 1992

    The Flyers agreed to a deal with the Quebec Nordiques for Lindros before the 1992 NHL draft. But so did the Rangers. Now what? An arbitrator ruled that the Flyers-Nordiques deal came first so Lindros — who refused to play for Quebec and skipped the previous NHL season — belonged to Philly. Fans still remember the name Larry Bertuzzi, who was the arbiter who ruled in the Flyers’ favor. Lindros was pegged as a generational player and the best talent to enter the NHL since Mario Lemieux. The Flyers were five years removed from their last trip to the Stanley Cup Finals and Philly was still very much a hockey town. The arrival of Lindros was huge.

    The Sixers and coach Billy Cunningham (left) rode to the championship in Moses Malone’s first season in Philly in 1982-83.(Philadelphia Daily News/George Reynolds)

    5. Moses Malone, 1982

    Who better to add after losing in the NBA Finals than the NBA MVP? That’s what happened to the Sixers after they fell to the Lakers in 1982 and went after Moses Malone. So how did they land him? Cash. Houston had the right to match any offer Malone signed since he was a restricted free agent so Harold Katz built a deal that he knew the new Rockets ownership group could not match. The contract was the largest in NBA history and was built on cash instead of deferred payments, stocks, or bonds. Katz said Houston would lose money if they agreed to the terms. They agreed with Katz and worked out a sign-and-trade to send Malone to Philly. The headlines wrote themselves — “76ers Hope to Follow Moses to Playoffs’ Promised Land,” said the Daily News back page — as the Sixers looked for their missing piece after promising Philly that they owed them a title. “There is good money to be spent and there is bad money. Money for Moses Malone is good money,” Katz said. His “Good money” was “Stupid Money” before “Stupid Money.”

    Pete Rose (right) tells the media in 1978 that negotiations with Phillies owner Ruly Carpenter (left) were unsuccessful. Rose wanted more money than the Phillies were offering.Bill Ingraham

    4. Pete Rose, 1978

    Pete Rose came to Veterans Stadium in 1978, met with the Phillies, and then held a news conference — sitting alongside owner Ruly Carpenter — to say he declined the team’s offer that was substantially lower than others. Can you imagine that happening today? The Phils were out on Rose, who they thought was the player needed to get over the hump after years of near misses. But they got back in the box a week later at the winter meetings in Disney World. The Phillies upped their offer and landed Rose. No player until James came to Philly with a track record like Rose: an MVP, two World Series titles, three batting crowns, and on his way to becoming baseball’s hit king. And it almost didn’t happen. Inquirer columnist Larry Eichel wrote the next day that Rose was “the hired torch brought here in the hopes that his undying competitive fire will catch and ignite a team known as much for its listlessness and studied nonchalance as for its performance.” The Phillies were hoping for more than just a player but a new identity. Sounds familiar.

    Julius Erving shakes hands with 76ers owner Fitz Eugene Dixon at a news conference to announce the signing of the former ABA star on Oct. 21, 1976.A

    3. Dr. J, 1976

    The Sixers outbid the Lakers and the Bucks to land Erving, who won three straight MVP awards in the ABA with the Nets and was considered to be the best player in the world. He reimagined the slam dunk earlier that year and kids dreamed of being like the Doctor long before they wanted to “Be Like Mike.” Like James, Dr. J was more than a basketball star: he was a celebrity. And he joined a team that made the playoffs the previous season for the first time in four years. The dormant Sixers were finally starting to emerge.

    Bryce Harper is introduced to the Phillies with his new friend the Phanatic during a news conference on March 2, 2019 in Clearwater, Fla.Mike Ehrmann / MCT

    2. Bryce Harper, 2019

    You thought LeBron James took awhile to make a decision? The Bryce Harper chase lasted months and bled into spring training before Harper finally joined the Phils days after John Middleton flew his private jet to Las Vegas to give a final sales pitch. The saga was long, but it was filled with great drama: The Phils went to Vegas to meet Harper, hosted Manny Machado at Citizens Bank Park, lost Machado to the Padres, and then seemed to be losing Harper to the Dodgers. But then Middleton’s “Stupid Money” prevailed. It was euphoria best summed up by the 8-year-old kid who got off the school bus to learn Harper was a Phil: “What!? No. No. He’s a Dodger. You’re joking!”

    Can LeBron and the Sixers win it all? We ran the numbers, and here’s how Philly’s revamped roster stacks up.

    Harper beats out Dr. J and Rose because sports are just a bigger industry now than they were then. Every move — and flight — was tracked all offseason as the Phillies pursued their guy. Those other moves took a few weeks to finish. This was a quest. The team store at Citizens Bank Park ran out of the letter “E” to make Harper jerseys and Fanatics said it was the most popular sports jersey in a player’s first 48 hours with a team. The Phillies sold more than 100,000 tickets in the hours after Harper signed as everyone was swept up in the hysteria. The reactions were just different in 2019 than they were in 1976 or 1978.

    LeBron James picked the Sixers to play with for his 24th NBA season in 2026-27.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer

    1. LeBron James, 2026

    It made basketball sense for James to pick Philly after the Sixers traded for Jaylen Brown. James could join a win-ready roster with Brown, Tyrese Maxey, and Joel Embiid. Of course, he’s coming to Philly. But then the decision slowed down. Maybe we were thinking with our hearts and not our minds. The insiders narrowed his choice to Miami or Cleveland with Philly being a No. 3. And then came the best Friday news dump in Philadelphia history: James was joining the 76ers. It was the biggest transaction in the history of Philadelphia sports. Harper was exciting. This was bigger. Dr. J moved the needle but not like this. Pete Rose? Sorry, Charlie Hustle. That was no match for LeBron’s arrival. No matter what happens next, you’ll always remember where you were last Friday when LeBron picked Philly.