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King James is officially bringing his talents<\/a> to South Broad Street.<\/p>\n LeBron James<\/a>, a legendary player and one of the most famous humans on planet Earth, will join the 76ers<\/a> on a two-year, $8 million contract. The news was first reported by ESPN, and James\u2019 agency, Klutch Sports, confirmed the deal in a tweet. <\/p>\n The Sixers already shocked the NBA this offseason by acquiring All-NBA wing Jaylen Brown<\/a> from the Boston Celtics in a blockbuster trade<\/a>. They then one-upped themselves by landing James in one of the more improbable roster additions in franchise history.<\/p>\n This second monumental move during a transformational offseason further illustrates that the Sixers are making the all-in push toward championship contention in a deep Eastern Conference.<\/p>\n New Sixers president of basketball operations Mike Gansey<\/a> has now assembled a starting five featuring arguably the best player of all time in James, a former NBA MVP in Joel Embiid<\/a>, a five-time All-Star in his prime in Brown, and ascending guards Tyrese Maxey<\/a> and VJ Edgecombe<\/a>. And James was willing to take a veteran minimum contract to join this group \u2014 and a historic franchise aiming to advance past the playoffs\u2019 second round for the first time since 2001 and capture its first championship since 1983.<\/p>\n \u00bb READ MORE: Before Mike Gansey became a Sixers executive, he was a hard-nosed high school player who earned LeBron James\u2019 respect<\/a><\/p>\n James chose the Sixers over bookending his career with his hometown Cleveland Cavaliers or returning to the Miami Heat, where he won his first two NBA championships. The Golden State Warriors, Denver Nuggets, and Minnesota Timberwolves also were reported to be in contention for James.<\/p>\n It took James more than three weeks for his latest decision, essentially putting the second wave of NBA free agency on hold<\/a>.<\/p>\n The Las Vegas Summer League, where NBA executives, coaches, and agents gather annually, came and went with more speculation than insight about where James would play next. James did not reveal his next playing destination during multiple public appearances at Fanatics Fest last Thursday and Friday, even after some light coaxing by fellow NBA star Tyrese Haliburton during a live taping of James\u2019 Mind the Game podcast. Commissioner Adam Silver said even he was waiting on James\u2019 decision so the league could finalize its 2026-27 schedule because James\u2019 popularity demands prime television games.<\/p>\n It was worth the wait for the Sixers.<\/p>\n James\u2019 basketball resum\u00e9 could fill a book. He is the NBA\u2019s all-time leader in points and games played, a four-time MVP, and a 21-time All-NBA selection. He has won four championships with three teams in the Los Angeles Lakers (2020), Cavaliers (2016), and Heat (2012 and 2013), and three Olympic Gold medals with Team USA.<\/p>\n And though James is no longer a perennial MVP front-runner at age 41, he is still a versatile, All-Star-caliber player with an exceptional basketball IQ.<\/p>\n Last season, he averaged 20.9 points, 7.2 assists, 6.1 rebounds, and 1.2 steals, and particularly thrived as a third offensive option behind Luka Don\u010di\u0107 and Austin Reaves. James had a memorable performance in his most recent visit to Philly in December, scoring 29 points on 12-of-17 shooting \u2014 including a late tiebreaking three-pointer and another game-sealing jumper \u2014 in the Lakers\u2019 112-108 victory.<\/p>\n Now, James will team up with another dynamic young player for whom he has expressed fondness in Maxey. James and Maxey, who made an All-NBA team for the first time last season, are represented by Klutch and super agent Rich Paul. Maxey has worked out with James dating back to his predraft process in 2020.<\/p>\n \u201cHe loves Maxey,\u201d Paul said on an episode of his Game Over podcast released earlier this month. \u201cWe don\u2019t even need to talk about that.\u201d<\/p>\n ESPN reported last week that Maxey, Embiid, and Brown had been recruiting James. Bob Myers, the president of Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment and former lead executive during the Warriors\u2019 dynasty, also went on Game Over to make his pitch to the Sixers.<\/p>\n James also has loose ties to Gansey, who played high school basketball in Ohio at the same time as James and worked in the Cavaliers\u2019 organization for more than a decade. The first hint that the Sixers were a legitimate contender may have come from Gansey\u2019s brother, Steven, who after the Brown trade posted a photo of Mike Gansey and James<\/a> as high school basketball players in Northeast Ohio, and the eyeballs emoji.<\/p>\n Gansey told The Inquirer last week that he, \u201clike the rest of the NBA,\u201d was simply waiting on James\u2019 free-agency decision.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019d love to have him in Philly,\u201d Gansey said from the Sixers\u2019 team hotel at Las Vegas Summer League. \u201cI think he\u2019d really, really help us and add to our group. But he\u2019s making a big decision here. It\u2019s wild [that], at his age, he\u2019s playing at such a high level. But it\u2019s not surprising.<\/p>\n \u201cI have all the respect in the world for him, and he\u2019s smart as heck. He\u2019s going to figure it out and talk to his family, and we\u2019ll be waiting. Whatever he decides, I know he\u2019s going to make the right decision.\u201d<\/p>\n When James informed the Lakers on June 30 that he would join another team in free agency, outsiders naturally connected him to his past stops in Cleveland and Miami as well as to the Warriors, where teaming up with fellow generational superstar Stephen Curry appeared tantalizing. Paul said publicly that James was prioritizing happiness and the opportunity to compete over salary at this point in his career.<\/p>\n \u00bb READ MORE: What the Sixers are saying about the Jaylen Brown trade, from \u2018Oh, snap!\u2019 to \u2018It\u2019s going to be special\u2019<\/a><\/p>\n Sixers followers, though, unearthed memories \u2014 part joke, part lament \u2014 of when James considered Philly<\/a> as a free agent in 2018 but did not personally attend the meeting with Sixers representatives. He instead signed with the Lakers, where he spent the ensuing eight seasons.<\/p>\n