‘I still want to compete, win, and have a chance at the feeling of winning another championship,’ says LeBron James joining Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, and Jaylen Brown in the 76ers group.
LeBron James has decided to join the Philadelphia 76ers for the final chapter of his NBA career, he said on Friday, July 24, canceling many paydays for one more shot at a championship with a franchise that hasn’t won a title in 43 years.
The league’s all-time leading scorer, who had the basketball world on tenterhooks for weeks awaiting his decision on which team he will join for his record-setting 24th NBA season, broke the news in a series of social media posts.
James spent the last eight seasons of his career with the Los Angeles Lakers, leading them to a title in 2020 after two separate seasons with the Cleveland Cavaliers and four years with the Miami Heat.
“This is my final decision. I’m not going for the money. I’m not going for the family. What am I really playing for at this point? I still want to sacrifice myself. I still want to work. I still want to grind. I still want to compete, win, and have a chance at the feeling of winning another championship,” James wrote on the social network.
“I believe I can help make the Philadelphia 76ers a championship team and I’m so excited to inspire new fans and start this great journey one last time. Thank you LA. I will always love Miami and Northeast Ohio will always be home!”
James did not disclose the terms of the deal, but ESPN reported that the four-time champion signed a two-year, $8 million contract with a player option.
The four-time NBA MVP will join Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, and recently acquired Jaylen Brown on a 76ers team that went from 20-1 odds to win the NBA title to 10-1 after his announcement.
The Sixers made the 2026 NBA playoffs by earning the seventh seed in the Eastern Conference through the playoffs before falling to the champion New York Knicks in the second round.
James considered retirement
Several teams were tracking James, with Cleveland, Miami, the Golden State Warriors, and the Minnesota Timberwolves all believed to be interested in the high-profile agent.
The 41-year-old James, who last March surpassed Robert Parish’s career record for most regular-season games played, has continued to excel at the highest level despite his age.
He earned a record 22nd consecutive All-Star selection last February in a season in which he averaged 20.9 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 7.2 assists over 60 games. His season ended when the Lakers were eliminated from the second round of the playoffs in May and he previously considered retirement.
“I thought I was done when the season ended. I wasn’t ready to announce it, and I knew I needed time to decide, but I was pretty sure I played my last game. I was honest at the last press conference when I said I needed to look at myself and decide if I still love this game. I still love this game a lot, and I have more to offer,” James said.
“The last few weeks have been so special. I’ve never had a clue what to do and taken real time to just think. I’ve had an amazing few months with all the people I love trying to figure it all out.”
In a testament to his resilience, James and his son Bronny became the first duo to play together in an NBA regular-season game in October 2024, fulfilling what he has long said was one of his remaining basketball goals.
Longest NBA career
James, a four-time NBA Finals Most Valuable Player, joined the Lakers in 2018. He set the league record for longest streak in NBA history last year when he surpassed Vince Carter’s mark of 22 seasons.
He was selected with the first pick in the 2003 NBA Draft by his hometown Cavaliers, where he spent seven seasons before announcing during a TV special called “The Decision” that he was leaving for Miami.
The announcement damaged James’ public image and led to many people burning his number 23 jersey in the streets of Cleveland that night.
In Miami, James teamed up with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh to form an instant powerhouse team that won two NBA titles in their four seasons together in South Beach.
James returned to Cleveland and in 2016 he helped the team to a 3-1 draw in the NBA Finals and surprised the Golden State Warriors and fulfilled his promise to give the Cavaliers their first championship.
Two years later, James again left his hometown team, where he remains the franchise leader in almost every major statistical category, and joined the Lakers, where he played for the first time in the Western Conference of the NBA. – Rappler.com
