Why Caitlin Clark Was Bummed That LeBron James Picked the 76ers

Caitlin Clark really wanted to see LeBron James join Steph Curry and the Warriors. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

LeBron James shocked the basketball world on Friday when he announced that he will be joining the 76ers for his 24th NBA season. The future Hall of Famer signed a two-year deal with Philadelphia that's worth a total of $8 million and comes with a player option.

Caitlin Clark was one of those who was stunned by the news, as she found out in real time while speaking with the media at the WNBA’s All-Star weekend.

LeBron James Signs With 76ers in Free Agency: Live Updates and Analysis From Superstar’s Massive Decision

Clark was a little bummed out at first to hear that James had picked the 76ers because she wanted to see something that a lot of other basketball fans were intrigued by.

“Selfishly, I wanted the Warriors because Steph (Curry) and ‘Bron would have been absolutely insane together,” Clark said after mentioning that she had just pitched for him to come to the Pacers.

Caitlin Clark reacts in real-time to learning LeBron James is joining the 76ers:

“No way! Wow. … I’ll be watching more 76ers games.” pic.twitter.com/GAhbwF6oHw

— Scott Agness (@ScottAgness) July 24, 2026

The Golden State Warriors were one of the teams in the mix for James during free agency. It would have been pretty wild to see him team up with Curry and Draymond Green, though that lineup would have been in a battle with Father Time.

Clark then broke down the move and what it means for the 76ers.

“They have some serious talent on the 76ers,” Clark said. “Arguably maybe one of the favorites in the East now with the Knicks and obviously my Pacers. I thought he was either going to Miami or Cleveland so that’s really shocking, but I’ll be watching more 76ers games. Obviously I’m a big fan of ‘Bron so no matter where he was going to go I was probably going to cheer for that team and root for them. So I’m going wait for the NBA schedule to come out and make sure I have my tickets reserved for when the 76ers come play the Pacers because those are always hard to get. But I’m happy for him.”

Why LeBron James chose the 76ers

James announced his decision in a string of tweets, saying he still has something left in the tank and he really wants to try to win another championship before retiring. He feels like that will be possible in Philadelphia where he’ll team up with a strong core that includes Joel Embiid, Jaylen Brown, Tyrese Maxey, and VJ Edgecombe.

“This is my last decision,” James tweeted. “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.”

It goes without saying that this is a very huge get for the 76ers, especially after they landed Brown in a trade with the Celtics earlier this summer. Their championship odds instantly shot up after James made his decision official.

Now they have the NBA’s all-time leading scorer on their roster and are ready to be a big problem for the rest of the league.

Though it would have been fun to see him and Curry playing together.

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