PHILADELPHIA — NBA all-time leading scorer LeBron James has announced he is taking his talents to the Philadelphia 76ers, calling the move his “last decision” after coming very close to walking away from basketball for good.
James made the announcement Friday on social media, revealing that he had seriously contemplated retirement before ultimately deciding to lace up his sneakers one more time.
“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,” James said in his statement.
The four-time NBA champion said he thought his 23rd season — his last with the Los Angeles Lakers — was truly the end of the road for him.
“I was pretty sure I played my last game. I was honest at that last press conference when I said I needed to look at myself and decide if I still love this game,” James wrote. “I still truly love this game, and I have more to give.”
At 41 years old, James will reportedly sign a modest two-year contract worth $8 million with Philadelphia, according to ESPN — a significant step down from the nearly $53 million he earned last season.
“I’m not going for money. I’m not going for family,” James wrote. “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.”
The Sixers, who finished 45-37 last season before being swept in the second round by the NBA champion New York Knicks, have not claimed an NBA title since 1983 and haven’t advanced past the second round of the Eastern Conference playoffs since 2001.
James’ arrival in Philadelphia echoes what he accomplished in Cleveland, where he ended a 56-year championship drought by leading the Cavaliers to the title in 2016.
He will join a loaded Philadelphia roster that already features All-Stars Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, and Jaylen Brown — the 2024 NBA Finals MVP, a five-time All-Star and the league’s fourth-leading scorer last season, who was acquired in a blockbuster offseason trade with the Celtics. New 76ers team president Mike Gansey has orchestrated a remarkable summer of moves, with James’ signing being the crown jewel.
James is the oldest active player in the NBA and the only player in league history to have competed across 23 seasons. The upcoming year will be his 24th. Speculation about his future had been swirling for over two months, beginning in May when the Lakers were eliminated from the playoffs.
His career accomplishments are unmatched in league history: a 22-time All-Star, 21-time All-NBA selection, four-time Most Valuable Player, four-time NBA Finals MVP, three-time All-Star Game MVP, and a member of the NBA’s 75th anniversary team.
Last season, James averaged 20.9 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 7.2 assists per game. Over his career spanning more than 1,600 games, he has averaged 26.8 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 7.4 assists.
James began his career in Cleveland in 2003, spending seven seasons with the Cavaliers before moving to Miami for four years, where he captured his first two championships. He returned to Cleveland for four more seasons — including the historic 2016 title run — before departing for the Lakers in 2018, where he won the 2020 NBA championship.
Both Cleveland and Miami were reportedly in consideration as James weighed his options.
“Thank you LA. Miami I’ll forever love and Northeast Ohio will always home!” James wrote in his announcement.
For at least the next two seasons, Philadelphia will be where the basketball world’s most recognizable player calls home.
