{"id":361630,"date":"2026-10-01T07:06:29","date_gmt":"2026-10-01T07:06:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/361630\/"},"modified":"2026-10-01T07:06:29","modified_gmt":"2026-10-01T07:06:29","slug":"on-lebron-james-and-his-helicopter-commute-to-and-from-new-york-city","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/361630\/","title":{"rendered":"On LeBron James and His Helicopter Commute To and From New York City"},"content":{"rendered":"


\n Sixers
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\n \"Matt
\n <\/a><\/p>\n

\"Sep<\/p>\n

Bill Streicher-Imagn Images<\/p>\n

When LeBron signed with the Sixers back in July, the rumor was he\u2019d live in New York and commute to games by helicopter. <\/p>\n

People got a lot of content out of that story. Lot of people made worried, Kobe parallels\/comments about helicopter flights. <\/p>\n

Non-Sixers fans used it to troll Philadelphia in general by saying LeBron didn\u2019t even want to live there. <\/p>\n

National talking head-types used it to speculate on whether LeBron even really wanted to be a Sixer. Etc., etc., etc.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The content was mostly bad. To me it felt like a non-story. I wrote at the time that I didn\u2019t give a rat\u2019s ass if he flew around in a helicopter wherever the hell he wanted,<\/a> as long as he showed up for games wearing a Sixers jersey. I am on the record saying I do not care about it at all.\u00a0<\/p>\n

But now that LeBron is really here in Philly \u2014 now that I\u2019ve seen him with my own eyes in Camden, New Jersey, at the Sixers practice facility \u2014 I\u2019m gonna walk all that back a little. I must admit, I\u2019ve come to find his commute situation interesting, especially after he confirmed his plan with Dave McMenamin:<\/p>\n

And after I was in the room for Anfernee Simons\u2019 media day availability and heard what I learned later was the sound of LeBron\u2019s helicopter leaving Camden:<\/p>\n

You can hear LeBron\u2019s helicopter in the background taking off pic.twitter.com\/kgZTpX5ceF<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 \u00b2\u00b3\ud835\ude7b\ud835\ude8e\ud835\ude71\ud835\ude9b\ud835\ude98\ud835\ude97\ud835\ude8c\ud835\ude91\ud835\ude92\ud835\ude9d\ud835\ude92\ud835\ude9c\ud83c\udfc0\u2604\ufe0f\ud83c\udf0e\ud83d\udc9e (@BronGotGame) September 29, 2026<\/a> <\/p>\n

While Anfernee Simons was answering questions to the media members after Sixers practice Tuesday a loud droning noise could be heard coming from outside the facility: a helicopter for LeBron James to take to head to New York.<\/p>\n

\u2014 Dave McMenamin (@mcten) September 29, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

And after I saw the footage later on of the helicopter leaving:<\/p>\n

With all this new context, I have to say\u2026 this is pretty sick. I love this. I\u2019m not entirely sure why. There\u2019s something about the insane excess of it, the preposterous, over-the-top, billionaire-brain thinking that went into the planning and execution of taking a helicopter to media day and then leaving in it. That\u2019s a big part of it, just how dumb and unnecessary all of this is. It makes me laugh. Don\u2019t helicopter rides cost tens of thousands of dollars? Aren\u2019t helicopters insanely bad for the environment? Why is he doing this? I\u2019m laughing right now typing this. What a weird guy. Such a Mr. Burns-ass thing to do. LeBron\u2019s going full rich cartoon character. So funny.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s not just that, though. I\u2019m not proud of this part, but if I\u2019m being honest, part of me was also filled with awe and delight watching LeBron\u2019s helicopter video. Intellectually, I understand what he\u2019s doing is dumb as hell, but emotionally, I was still excited by seeing a helicopter containing a billionaire float up into the gray Camden sky, above the building where I was just eating free Cape Cod chips the Sixers gave to the press, and away from the depressing-looking parking lot where my Honda Civic was parked, This is the same part of my caveman brain that will sometimes watch Entourage and be struck by a genuine, unironic thought like, \u201cWhoa\u2026 Vinnie Chase has a big house\u2026 I wish I had a big house\u2026 That\u2019d be cool\u2026\u201d For a moment there, seeing the helicopter take off, I went full toddler-brain. I thought the helicopter looked awesome. <\/p>\n

Even now, after typing all that and watching the videos a bunch and reading through the internet\u2019s takes on LeBron\u2019s helicopter situation, I\u2019m still having fun thinking about the ins and outs of this commute. How often will LeBron do this helicopter flight? How long does it take him, door to door? Does he feel normal when he lands after the flight, or does he feel a little off for a while, the way I always do after I get off a plane? Does the altitude change mess with his sinuses? What about his stomach? My stomach\u2019s always going nuts for a while after a flight \u2014 I don\u2019t know why \u2014 does LeBron have this same problem? Does he get WiFi in the chopper? Is he scrolling on his phone the whole time, or is he looking out the window, taking in the splendor of the natural world below him and thinking, \u201cDamn, this is sick as hell\u2026 Can\u2019t believe I\u2019m flying around up here\u2026 I\u2019m one of the powerful people in the world, I bet\u2026 I\u2019m basically a Succession guy\u2026\u201d? <\/p>\n

As a reporter (I am a reporter, I am a journalist, everyone knows this) I feel I have a duty to get answers to these questions. I have a responsibility to the public. A sacred duty\u2026 For that reason, I will charter a helicopter ride from Camden to NYC and write about the experience, and I will charge the flight to Crossing Broad\/Sportradar\/whoever is in charge of the money at this job. I do not know who it is. I still haven\u2019t met many of the people I work with here. But whoever they are, they will be getting this bill, and that will be a good icebreaker for us. More soon.<\/p>\n

\"Matt<\/p>\n

Matt Schultz is a comedy and sports writer from Philadelphia. He\u2019s written extensively for ClickHole, The Onion, and Conan O\u2019Brien\u2019s Team Coco. His work has been featured in Vulture, Deadspin, The A.V. Club, Paste Magazine, and other publications. Much of his sports journalism can be found on college basketball websites that don\u2019t exist anymore (PhilaHoops Heads rise up\u2026)
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\nemail: M.Schultz@sportradar.com<\/p>\n

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