LeBron James Finally Opens Up About Why He Chose the 76ers

When LeBron James was approaching his free agency decision this summer, he intentionally tried to avoid taking phone calls from fellow players.

“I don’t even want to be swayed one way,” James explained to co-host and fellow NBA legend Steve Nash on the Mind the Game podcast. “I already know what you’re calling about.”

But when James saw Tyrese Maxey’s name pop up on his phone, he couldn’t help but answer.

“When I became a free agent and we decided to let the Lakers know I wouldn’t be returning, [Maxey] was one of the first people on my line calling me: Yo, what are we doing? Yo, what’s up, OG? What’s up old head? Come on down here, man; we could use you down here!

“He’s such a great person I can’t not talk to him,” James explained.

As James discussed his decision to join Philadelphia at length on the 50-minute podcast, Maxey’s name popped up more than any other new teammate. It seems the 25-year-old budding superstar had more influence on James’s decision than even the 76ers’ Jaylen Brown trade—which James labeled as another “intriguing” piece in Philadelphia.

“My relationship with Tyrese Maxey goes beyond the court,” James said. “… I just love everything about Tyrese Maxey. Every day, you get the same person. And that is very rare in sports and super rare in life. And I’ve always talked about how great of a person that he is. And obviously, we know what he brings to the basketball court.

“He’s been the same person since the moment I met him before he was drafted in the NBA. He came to my house, at that point he was 19 years old so he was actually hanging with [James’s sons] Bronny and Bryce. They was playing video games inside the house. Came in, super respectful to me, super respectful to my wife, super respectful to everybody in the house. Bright smile. Super down to earth. From the moment he got drafted to the perennial superstar that he’s becoming, nothing has changed. Nothing has changed in his demeanor. We all know how people can be the humble kid coming in, and some success happens and they be totally different. Kid has been the same person. This young man is beyond his years for sure. Easy to root for.”

James has won a championship in each of his prior three stops. He won two in Miami. He returned to Cleveland and won one of the hardest-earned titles in league history. He won with the Lakers in the NBA bubble.

In Philadelphia, though, James will be tasked with taking a stagnating franchise to the next level. The 76ers have been one of the most consistent teams in the Eastern Conference over the last nine years. But with that consistency also has brought a persistent failure to advance past the conference semifinals. It’s been 25 years since Philadelphia journeyed to the Eastern Conference finals—the year the Sixers advanced and went on to lose to the Lakers in five games in the 2001 NBA Finals.

Joel Embiid has been with the Sixers over their entire solid-but-unsatisfactory run. Health is always the biggest question with Embiid, who is just three seasons removed from winning the 2022–23 NBA MVP award. James aims to be the difference.

“He’s done everything in our league,” James said of Embiid. “The only thing he has not done is win a championship. I want to try to help him get that first one. He’s been the MVP of our league, has a gold medal, All-Stars, signature shoes, bunch of money, he has everything. … I think it’s time now that we dig even deeper into the process, and I hope that I can be that final little piece that can help get him over the hump. And have him see it a little bit differently that he’s seen it in his career as far as the day-to-day process, the day-to-day what it takes to get there.”

In order to get Maxey, Embiid and the Sixers to the Finals, James will have to bully his way through an Eastern Conference that’s only gotten more competitive this offseason as Giannis Antetokounmpo switched teams and Kawhi Leonard is back in Toronto. But James, who will turn 42 on Dec. 30, also has an unprecedented 1-on-1 battle with Father Time.

“I’m more in love with the pursuit of how much I can continue to defy the odds,” James said. “It’s this whole Father Time thing … I have a real basketball competitive thing with him.”

And so far, James is winning.

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