LeBron James Begins Final NBA Chapter with 76ers with Topps NOW Chase

Ending months of speculation, LeBron James announced Friday that he is joining the Philadelphia 76ers on a reported two-year, $8 million contract, beginning what he described as the final chapter of his historic NBA career.

In a statement shared Friday on social media, James revealed that he seriously considered retirement following the 2025-26 season before ultimately deciding he still had one more championship pursuit left.

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 (@KingJames) July 24, 2026

"I thought I was done when the season ended," James wrote. "I still truly love this game, and I have more to give."

The 41-year-old also made it clear that his decision was not driven by money, writing that he wanted "to compete, to win and to have a chance at the feeling of winning another championship." James called joining Philadelphia his "last decision" and said he was excited to "energize a new fan base and start this incredible journey one last time."

A New Chapter for Collectors

For collectors, the move marks the beginning of another chapter in one of basketball's most collectible careers, with attention now turning to his first officially licensed cards and memorabilia featuring him in a 76ers uniform. LeBron James partnered with Topps to release the announcement.

Collectors will also be watching to see how card manufacturers commemorate what James has indicated will be the final stop of his Hall of Fame career, making his first Philadelphia cards and memorabilia among the hobby's most anticipated upcoming releases. Topps released a Topps NOW card commemorating the move, with numbered cards and a 1/1 auto for fans to chase.

Leaving Los Angeles for Philadelphia

James left the Los Angeles Lakers after eight seasons, the longest uninterrupted stint of his NBA career. During his time in Los Angeles, he helped lead the franchise to the 2020 NBA championship, became the NBA's all-time leading scorer, and added another remarkable chapter to an epic resume that already included championships with the Miami Heat and Cleveland Cavaliers.

LeBron James' cards have never been hotter, with the recent sale of his 2003-04 Upper Deck Exquisite Patch Auto topping $2.9 million. | Goldin via Card Ladder

He now joins a loaded Philadelphia roster featuring former MVP Joel Embiid, All-Star guard Tyrese Maxey, newly acquired Jaylen Brown, and promising young guard V.J. Edgecombe. Multiple reports indicated that Maxey, Embiid, and Brown were among those who helped recruit James during free agency—one of the most-watched roster moves in recent NBA history.

James' move also ends his time as Lakers teammates with his son, Bronny James, after the pair made NBA history as the league's first father-son duo to play together.

One Final Pursuit

LeBron James' announcement also brings an end to weeks of speculation surrounding his future. The four-time NBA champion had been linked to several contenders, including the Golden State Warriors, Cleveland Cavaliers and Miami Heat, before ultimately choosing Philadelphia. For collectors, the decision means the 76ers become the final uniform chapter of James' career rather than another return to a former franchise or a long-discussed partnership with Stephen Curry.

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.

Welcome to the City of Brotherly Love, @KingJames. pic.twitter.com/JHsNkCFyyN
— Governor Josh Shapiro (@GovernorShapiro) July 24, 2026

Whether Philadelphia ultimately delivers another championship remains to be seen. But by calling the move his "last decision," James has positioned the 76ers as the final stop in one of the most decorated careers in NBA history—one that includes four championships, four MVP awards, 22 consecutive All-Star selections and the league's all-time scoring record.

As he begins a record 24th NBA season, collectors will now follow what James says will be the final chapter of a career that has spanned four franchises and more than two decades.

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