LeBron James Debuts with the 76ers
LeBron James took to the court for the first time as a member of the Philadelphia 76ers.
The 41-year-old made his preseason debut on Thursday, logging 30 minutes in a 114-108 defeat to the Brooklyn Nets.
Interestingly, scoring wasn’t a priority for him; James finished with 10 points, having made 1 out of 1 field goal attempts and hitting all 8 free throws.
While his scoring numbers were modest, James played a significant role in other areas, tallying four rebounds, five assists, and a steal.
This marks the first time James has worn a Sixers jersey after signing a two-year deal worth $7.95 million at the veteran minimum in July.
In previous comments to the media back in September, James expressed his optimism about bringing a championship to Philadelphia, mentioning how he hopes his extensive experience in winning translates to this new team.
“I hope that I can, you know, bring that experience, bring that knowledge, bring the blueprint to the guys that are trying to accomplish some things that they haven’t done in their career,” he remarked. “I’ve seen everything that this league has to offer on the floor and off the floor, so I hope that every single day with my approach to the game, approach to the work, that it can translate to every single guy.”
However, there’s already been some tension brewing in Philadelphia, with reports suggesting James confronted Joel Embiid for arriving “a couple of minutes late” to practice.
During a preseason matchup against the Knicks, broadcaster Mike Breen shared a story that someone had told him about the incident.
“I had somebody tell me before the game that they were out ready to practice, and Joel Embiid walked out onto the court a couple of minutes late, and LeBron let him hear it,” Breen noted during the MSG broadcast.
James quickly dismissed this narrative on social media, posting on Instagram, “He ain’t been late so stop the lies.”
Following the incident, Breen issued an apology, stating the original context had been misinterpreted.
“I’m so disappointed how the story was interpreted,” Breen conveyed to ESPN. “The whole intent was praising LeBron for already having an impact on the team’s professionalism and accountability, even something so benign as a player getting on the court for practice a minute or two late.”
