LeBron James has picked the team he will enter his 24th NBA season with, and it happens to be the most talented roster he has ever joined. The 4-time champion and all-time leading scorer will play for the Philadelphia 76ers next season, officially the 4th franchise James will lace up his sneakers for.
This move is not about money, family, relationships with teammates, or comfort. This move is about one thing and one thing only… winning.
He could have stayed in Los Angeles or gone to Golden State to be close to his loved ones. He could have signed with Miami or Cleveland to ensure undying support from the fans.
James decided to sign with Philadelphia. A team with no past connections and a city with the most polarizing fanbase in all of sports. It’s a gamble, but one a player “striving for greatness” is willing to take.
James wants to win a 5th and possibly even a 6th NBA title. His 4 still ties Shaquille O’Neal and Steph Curry’s count and sits 1 behind the likes of Kobe Bryant, Tim Duncan, Magic Johnson, and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Getting to 6 would tie the “ghost” he’s chasing that “played in Chicago.”
The argument could be made that James has had a better career than every one of these players, but the case could also be made against him in any one of these debates simply based on ring count alone.
No stat or accomplishment matters to LeBron’s legacy at this point other than winning championships, and that is exactly what James has in mind as his NBA clock winds towards midnight.
Playing half a century in the league would be quite the achievement, but he is already the longevity king. Anything short of winning another ring does not move the needle in the slightest.
James signed a 2-year, $8 million veteran minimum deal, a nearly $50 million pay cut to join the 76ers. The only other time James has not played on a max deal was when he joined Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh in Miami. He took a $1 million pay cut in that instance.
Arguably the greatest basketball player of all-time teams up with 2023 MVP Joel Embiid, 2024 Finals MVP Jaylen Brown, 2025 All-Star Tyrese Maxey, and 2025 3rd overall pick V. J. Edgecombe. The quartet combined to average 99.9 points per game last season.
LeBron’s entire time in the league has been centered around one specific goal. He wants to be the best. Not just the best in his era, but the greatest of all time. He views winning another championship as his ticket to gaining more supporters in that race.
The 2 players that often rival James the most in the GOAT debate are Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant.
Bryant’s time in the league overlapped with LeBron’s, and Jordan has worn the crown since he retired in 2003. Fans, media, and players sometimes hold these 2 in a higher regard because of their killer mentality, will to be the best, and unwavering determination to stack championships. Nothing else mattered to them.
James’ career has not always been viewed in the same way. No one doubts his greatness, but naysayers have questioned his motives. With this move to the 76ers, the motive is no longer up for debate.
The reality is James has always been just like Kobe or MJ. He wants to win at the same level and values it just as much as the 2 players before him. That has never been clearer.
Every move he has ever made has been about trying to build a championship team, and taking his talents to Philadelphia gives him the best chance to do so.
Benjamin Verbrugge is a reporter for News4usonline who studied journalism at CSU Dominguez Hills. “Sports have brought me much joy throughout my life, and I want to give a little back to something that has meant so much to me.” Email Benjamin at benverbrugge8@gmail.com.
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