PHILADELPHIA (AP) — LeBron James said his longstanding friendship with All-Star Tyrese Maxey and a desire to help Joel Embiid win his first NBA title played significant roles in his decision to sign a two-year, $8 million contract with the Philadelphia 76ers in July.
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Embiid → say → July
The 41-year-old James revealed scant details about the free-agency process on his “Mind the Game” podcast with co-host Steve Nash that dropped Friday.
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that → reveal → Nash
James is scheduled to meet the press for the first time as a Sixer on Monday at the team’s media day in Camden, New Jersey.
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James → schedule → Camden
Training camp opens next week.
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camp → open → ?
A four-time NBA champion, James wrote on social media when he signed with the Sixers that he felt he was “done” when his 23rd NBA season ended, his last with the Los Angeles Lakers.
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season → write → Lakers
But after time away with family, and still feeling physically and mentally strong in offseason workouts, James decided he wanted to keep playing.
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he → feel → workouts
James has won NBA championships with every team he’s played for: the Lakers, Miami and Cleveland.
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he → win → team
“I think I’m more in love with the pursuit of how much more can I defy the odds,” James said on the podcast.
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James → think → podcast
James said “Philly was not even a question” early in his decision making until the Sixers pulled the surprising deal with Boston for NBA Finals MVP and champion Jaylen Brown.
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Sixers → say → Brown
James and Maxey share an agent and have been friends and workout partners since the Sixers guard broke into the league, a friendship that turned into a recruiting pitch for the NBA’s career scoring leader.
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that → share → leader
“When I became a free agent and we decided to let the Lakers know that I wouldn’t be returning, he was one of the first people that was on my line, calling me,” James said of Maxey.
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James → become → Maxey
James also was intrigued with trying to help the oft-injured Embiid win his first title.
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Embiid → intrigue → title
Embiid has won an NBA MVP, two scoring titles, and Olympic gold medal, but has yet to lead the Sixers out of the second round of the playoffs since Philadelphia selected him third overall in the 2014 draft.
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Philadelphia → win → draft
“He’s done everything in our league, and the only thing he has not done is win a championship.
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he → do → championship
And I want to try to help him get that first one,” James said.
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James → want → one
“He has a city on his back.
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He → have → back
But I think it’s time we even get you deeper into The Process.
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we → think → Process
And I hope that I can be, kind of, that final little piece that can help him get over the hump.
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him → hope → hump
The Sixers went 45-37 last season and were swept in the second round by the eventual NBA champion New York Knicks.
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Sixers → go → Knicks
He’s a 22-time All-Star, a 21-time All-NBA selection, a four-time Most Valuable Player, a four-time NBA Finals MVP, a three-time All-Star Game MVP, and was a member of the NBA’s 75th anniversary team.
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He → ’ → team
He’s also coming off a season where he averaged 20.9 points, 6.1 rebounds and 7.2 assists per game.
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he → come → game
For his career, he’s averaged 26.8 points, 7.5 rebounds and 7.4 assists in more than 1,600 games.
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he → average → games
James’ eight seasons with the Lakers were the longest continuous stretch with a single team of his NBA career, and he helped the franchise win its 17th championship in 2020.
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franchise → help → 2020
He even became the first father to play alongside his son in league history, teaming up with guard Bronny James for the past two seasons.
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He → become → seasons
James called it “humbling” to play for the Lakers and expressed disappointment he wasn’t able to enjoy a championship parade because of the 2020 pandemic.
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he → call → pandemic
James called Los Angeles home and said it would be for “the foreseeable future.”
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it → call → future
James offered no real insight to any teams he may have talked to or how close he may have been with signing with another team.
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he → offer → team
He said he wanted to bring the championship blueprint to Philadelphia and lead the Sixers to their first title since 1983.
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he → say → 1983
And he felt great during workouts in the summer, so why stop now?
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he → feel → summer
“If you still have an opportunity to do what you love, then why just say I’m done?
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I → have → what
Do you have a real reason?,” James asked.
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James → have → reason
The Aporia
