LeBron James has explained why he chose the Philadelphia 76ers after becoming a free agent, pointing to his relationships with Tyrese Maxey and Joel Embiid as major factors behind the decision.
Speaking with Steve Nash on the Mind the Game podcast, James said his relationship with Maxey extends well beyond basketball and played an important role in Philadelphia becoming his destination.
“I just love everything about Tyrese Maxey, man,” James said. “Every day you get the same person, and that is very rare in sports, and obviously super rare in life.”
James revealed that Maxey was one of the first players to contact him after he and the Los Angeles Lakers decided that he would not return to the team.
“He was one of the first people that was on my line, calling me, ‘Yo, what we doing? Yo, what’s up? What’s up, OG? What’s up? What’s up, old head?’ You know, ‘Come on down here, man. We could use you down here.’”
The relationship with Maxey was not the only factor that attracted James to Philadelphia. He also pointed to the 76ers’ acquisition of Jaylen Brown, who arrived from the Boston Celtics in a blockbuster offseason trade.
“I thought the JB trade, too, was another piece that nobody… I don’t think anybody seen coming,” James said. “I love the way he approaches the game, too. You know, both sides of the floor, what he brings to the game, his insight on the game.”
James also highlighted the way Brown has been viewed throughout his career, saying he appreciated what the veteran forward “stands for” and brings to the team.
However, Embiid was arguably the biggest reason James wanted to join Philadelphia. The 41-year-old said he wants to help the former MVP accomplish the one major achievement missing from his résumé: an NBA championship.
“One of the most important, to be honest, is the big fella,” James said. “He’s done everything in our league, and the only thing he has not done, and that’s win a championship. And I want to try to help him get that first one.”
Embiid averaged 26.9 points, 7.7 rebounds and 3.9 assists in 38 games for Philadelphia last season, while Maxey emerged as an All-NBA player with 28.3 points and 6.6 assists per game.
James, meanwhile, averaged 20.9 points, 6.1 rebounds and 7.2 assists in 60 games for the Lakers during his 23rd NBA season. He joins Philadelphia on a two-year minimum-salary contract with a player option for the second season.
Along with James and Brown, Philadelphia retained Embiid and Maxey while adding players such as Anfernee Simons and Dean Wade.
James said he hopes his experience can provide Embiid with another perspective on the daily process required to reach the championship level.
“I hope that I can be kinda that final little piece that can help him get over the hump,” James said.
