PHILADELPHIA — Two of the biggest names in American professional sports share a remarkably similar origin story — and now they share the same city.
LeBron James and Bryce Harper both burst onto the national scene as teenage prodigies, each landing on the cover of Sports Illustrated and each being selected No. 1 overall straight out of high school.
Harper made his choice clear when he first hit free agency: Philadelphia was the only destination that made sense. He inked a 13-year, $330 million deal ahead of the 2019 season — at the time the richest contract in baseball history — leaving the Washington Nationals behind to join the Phillies.
Now James has followed a similar path, signing a two-year deal with the Philadelphia 76ers worth just $8 million total — a number that barely registers given that James ranks No. 4 on Forbes’ real-time list of the world’s wealthiest athletes at $1.4 billion. His endorsement deals alone would outpace the salaries of every player on the Sixers roster.
Harper has been paying close attention to his new famous neighbor.
