For 76ers fans who attended Friday night’s preseason game against the Celtics in South Philadelphia, the excitement goes well beyond the final score. With LeBron James and Jaylen Brown taking the court alongside familiar faces, fans were eager to see what the revamped roster can accomplish.
After weeks of anticipation, fans got a chance to see the majority of starters take the floor together, offering a glimpse of what the group could become. That included James, who did his signature chalk toss before the Sixers’ 125-120 overtime loss to the Celtics.
“It’s gonna give chills down my spine for sure,” Matt Kholod of Fairless Hills, Bucks County, said.
Philadelphia 76ers’ LeBron James throws chalk in the air before a preseason NBA basketball game against the Boston Celtics on Friday, Oct. 16, 2026, in Philadelphia.
AP Photo/Matt Slocum
Mark Fitzsimmons, a Sixers fan, said the team’s new additions have raised expectations for the season.
“I think now with Jaylen Brown, big addition, LeBron, the draft pick Philon, Anfernee Simons, you can go on and on,” Fitzsimmons said. “Just some great acquisitions. I think it’s going to be a great year.”
With stars such as James and Brown joining familiar players Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey, fans are already imagining how the pieces could fit together.
Aiden McGill of Boothwyn, Delaware County, acknowledged the uncertainty that comes with bringing together a new group of players but said he is excited to watch the team.
“I’m scared because this team was just put together, but it’s going to be so fun to watch,” McGill said.
Philadelphia 76ers’ LeBron James goes up for a dunk during the first half of a preseason NBA basketball game against the Boston Celtics Friday, Oct. 16, 2026, in Philadelphia.
AP Photo/Matt Slocum
Aiden was with his dad, Chris, who was wearing a Cleveland Cavaliers James jersey.
“I’m 40, and I don’t wear jerseys anymore, but my son had it since the past year,” Chris McGill said. “I figured we have LeBron now, it’s probably a good time to put it on. It’s insane. We were talking about it in the truck. It doesn’t feel real that LeBron James is on our team. Like him choosing Philadelphia … which everybody thought he was going back to Cleveland or Miami. Him choosing Philadelphia and then us having Jaylen Brown as well with the team that we had, yeah, everyone’s pretty excited.”
For some fans, the excitement is personal. Ashley Brice of West Philadelphia was looking for a jersey for her son to celebrate James joining the Sixers.
“Trying to find a LeBron jersey, because he came to Philly,” Brice said.
“LeBron’s the GOAT!” Brice’s son, Landon, added as he held up his jersey.
Landon is already picturing the possibilities on the court. He said the prospect of Maxey connecting with James has him looking forward to the season.
“It’s so good because you can just imagine Tyrese Maxey throwing a lob to LeBron,” Landon said.
While the preseason game did not count toward the regular-season standings, the energy surrounding the team reflected the optimism building among fans.
For them, the excitement is not just about the players who have arrived but also about what the roster might accomplish together.
Darryl Rothwell of Newark, Delaware, believes the Sixers have a chance to make a deep playoff run.
“When it comes to them coming out of the East, I really think the Sixers are going to come out on top,” Rothwell said.
For Sixers fans, the preseason has offered an early taste of what they have been waiting for — and a reason to believe the 2026 season could be something special.