CAMDEN, N.J. —  LeBron James addressed the media for the first time as a member of the Sixers on Monday during the team’s annual Media Day at its practice facility.

James’ arrival in Philadelphia marked one of the most notable changes of scenery in the NBA’s offseason. After eight seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers, James became an unrestricted free agent for the fourth time in his career.

Among the favorites were the Golden State Warriors, Miami Heat and even a return to the Cleveland Cavaliers. Each offered James something Philadelphia could not in terms of familiarity or location, while still providing an opportunity to pair with fellow stars.

Whether directly or indirectly, James’ decision has been credited to several factors tied to the Sixers, from the team’s acquisition of Jaylen Brown in a trade with the Boston Celtics to the opportunity to reunite with his 2024 Team USA teammate Joel Embiid, who James called “one of the most talented guys that we have in the world.”

As significant as those factors were, James singled out Tyrese Maxey for his role in the process. The King and the Franchise have known each other for years, as two of the most notable players represented by Klutch Sports. The pair have developed a trusting relationship both on and off the court through joint workouts, and according to James, Maxey was one of the main factors in his decision.

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It was in that same room, just over a year ago to the day, that Maxey had declared the Sixers “need a standard.” He described that standard as a team that is consistently driven and rooted in culture “every single day, no matter who plays, no matter who doesn’t play.” 

That standard is rooted in who Maxey is as a competitor, and it has helped make him a player others gravitate toward. One year after publicly challenging not just the team but the organization to establish that identity, Maxey helped sell James on the direction of the franchise.

“I had a group of teams that I was interested in,” James said. “And I have a really good — I would say great — relationship with Tyrese, and we talked a lot, and I kind of picked his brain a lot on not only where he sees his career going, how he sees the franchise here, how much he believes in the franchise, and if I was to come here, how does he see me fitting in?”

How James fits into a starting lineup already featuring Maxey, Brown, Embiid and VJ Edgecombe presents a challenge, though he believes his versatility will ease that transition. “I think the luxury of my game is I can do everything,” James said. “Literally, I can do everything.”

That said, James is aware of the attention that follows him and the challenges his presence can bring to a team looking to contend, which led him to discuss with Maxey everything that would come with his arrival.

“I understand my personality and what comes with me. Sometimes it could be a negative. I understand some people maybe can’t handle what I may bring to the table, and I was just asking all the questions that I could ask him, and it wasn’t just one conversation, but I think our relationship kind of when I broke a lot of the teams down, I broke a lot of the franchises down that I could possibly play for. He was one of the main deciding factors.”

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The Sixers, as an organization, have committed to following Maxey’s lead as they look to redefine their standard. One year later, James believes they have found a unified path forward.

“Everybody’s kind of on the same page [about] the direction that the organization wants to be in, the players want to be in, coaches want to be in. We all want to put the work in. That’s most important,” James said. “Guys can go around talking and saying these things should happen, but nothing can happen unless you actually put the work in. So we are all speaking the same language.”

That language includes a phrase James used shortly thereafter, one that a number of Sixers have used not just today but over recent seasons. “Get 1% better every single day” is a mantra Maxey has held close since before he was drafted, one he has consistently repeated and one his fellow Sixers have increasingly adopted.

As has been pointed out ad nauseam, there is but one basketball on the court at a time. For a team with as much star power as Philadelphia, that shared mindset will be tested by how willing each player is to sacrifice. It’s going to take hard work. And perhaps most difficult of all, it’s going to take time.

“If you want to do something special, it takes time, and it takes, like, every single day, doing things that you may not want to do because it’s like the same thing over and over and over and over and over, repetition after repetition after repetition. In order for us to be great, we have to do things that are just not comfortable. We have to be comfortable being uncomfortable.”

For James, that discomfort extends beyond the court. He has a son — and former teammate — still in Los Angeles. Another son is playing college basketball at Arizona, while his daughter is beginning middle school and his wife is an active businesswoman, entrepreneur and philanthropist.

The Sixers are looking to end more than four decades without an NBA championship. To do so, they will have to rely not only on the talent of their star-studded lineup but on a collective commitment to winning.

As he enters his 24th season, James’ desire to win has not softened, something he made clear as he wrapped up his availability. 

“I didn’t leave my family to lose in the second round. I know that for sure. So, work needs to be done, and I’m ready to put the work in.”

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Keywords

LeBron James,

Tyrese Maxey,

Philadelphia 76ers,

Sixers,

Joel Embiid,

Jaylen Brown,

VJ Edgecombe,

NBA