LeBron says Maxey friendship and Embiid-title goal drove Philadelphia move

Friendship with Maxey and the pitch to chase a ring

LeBron James said his longstanding friendship with All-Star Tyrese Maxey was one of the first recruiting pulls that drew him to the Philadelphia 76ers. On the "Mind the Game" podcast with co-host Steve Nash, released Friday, James described Maxey as one of the earliest voices on his phone after he told the Los Angeles Lakers he would not return for a 23rd NBA season. The two share an agent and have trained together since Maxey broke into the league, a relationship James said turned into a sustained recruiting pitch from the guard. "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.

Helping Embiid finish "The Process"

James framed the second pillar of his decision as a desire to help Joel Embiid win his first NBA championship. Embiid, the 2014 No. 3 overall pick, owns an NBA MVP award, two scoring titles and an Olympic gold medal, but has yet to lead Philadelphia past the second round of the playoffs. "He's done everything in our league, and the only thing he has not done is win a championship. And I want to try to help him get that first one," James said on the podcast, adding that he hoped to be "kind of, that final little piece that can help him get over the hump." The 41-year-old James, a four-time NBA champion with Cleveland, Miami and the Lakers, said he wrote on social media at the end of last season that he felt "done" but returned to the gym after time with family and "still feeling physically and mentally strong" in offseason workouts.

Two-year, $8 million deal and the path to Philadelphia

James signed a two-year, $8 million contract with Philadelphia in July, according to the AP report. He said "Philly was not even a question" early in his decision-making until the Sixers completed the surprising trade with Boston for NBA Finals MVP and champion Jaylen Brown, a move that sharpened the appeal. 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, with training camp opening the following week. The Sixers went 45-37 last season and were swept in the second round by the eventual champion New York Knicks.

Resume, recent production and what's next on the calendar

James, a 22-time All-Star, four-time MVP and four-time Finals MVP, averaged 20.9 points, 6.1 rebounds and 7.2 assists last season and 26.8 points, 7.5 rebounds and 7.4 assists across more than 1,600 career games. His eight seasons with the Lakers were the longest continuous stretch with a single team of his career. The next verifiable milestone is James's introductory media day Monday in Camden, followed by the opening of training camp later next week.

Other developments

Separately, a one-of-one Cooper Flagg 2026 Topps Chrome Updates NBA Debut Patch autograph card sold Thursday for $8.04 million, making it the third-most expensive NBA card ever, according to CBS Sports. Flagg, the No. 1 pick in the 2025 draft, is coming off his rookie season with the Dallas Mavericks.