LeBron James was destined to be a polarizing athlete.

Before reaching the NBA, LeBron was dubbed “The King” and “The Chosen One.” He’s received comparisons to Michael Jordan throughout his career and has played in a social media era where players are unable to escape criticism. Even four championships, four MVP awards and the NBA’s all-time scoring record haven’t silenced his most vocal critics.

In previous years, LeBron has always had a certain comfort to fall back on, even if his decisions weren’t the most popular. Miami offered the security of joining one of the most talented teams ever assembled. Cleveland provided a storybook homecoming alongside Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love. Los Angeles brought the glamour of Hollywood and, eventually, another superstar in Anthony Davis. None of those choices lacked pressure, but each offered something familiar.

As he prepared to make his fourth and potentially final decision, LeBron had many comfortable options ahead of him.

He could have returned home to Cleveland for a storybook ending. Miami would offer a similar familiar feel with the benefit of a South Beach lifestyle and an opportunity to team up with Giannis Antetokounmpo. Then there was Golden State. New to LeBron, but offering the type of championship environment and big-market lifestyle he had grown accustomed to in Los Angeles, along with the opportunity to play beside Steph Curry and Draymond Green.

Each offered a level of comfort that Philadelphia could not provide.

On paper, this offseason has been a tremendous step toward building a more competitive team. In Mike Gansey’s first offseason as the team’s president of basketball operations, the franchise has renewed fan excitement around the team through a series of additions that ultimately gave them a seat at the table to recruit LeBron James.

MORE: How Mike Gansey transformed the Sixers in a single offseason

By the admission of his agent, Rich Paul, the acquisition of Jaylen Brown was the moment everything changed for LeBron and his consideration of Philadelphia. Not because there was nothing of appeal before, but because it finally appeared to be a legitimate opportunity to win.

There’s no denying the Sixers‘ talent, but as LeBron knows, talent isn’t everything. While the early returns on his decision to come to Philadelphia have locally been filled with excitement, there have been far more questions nationally. 

For all the talent the Sixers now employ, questions already surround how they will fit together. How can two former MVPs, two All-NBA players in their prime and an ascending young talent all satisfy their own ambitions while collectively working toward greatness? Others have questioned what this new collection of talent means for the development of VJ Edgecombe. The health of Joel Embiid will linger over the team like a dark cloud as it has for years. And then there are concerns about the ongoing spectacle that has surrounded LeBron for over two decades. These are uncomfortable questions with at least some merit that will return throughout the season.

Of all his potential suitors, Philadelphia is well known as the most demanding. Criticism will not just come nationally, but locally. The optimism surrounding LeBron’s arrival won’t last forever. If he or the Sixers fall short of expectations, Philadelphia’s praise will quickly give way to criticism. Sixers fans have celebrated a wealth of historic talent coming through the city, but not every moment was peaceful. The city demands effort, and it demands success. That type of pressure is not something LeBron has previously chased.

Then there are the historical troubles the franchise has faced. Hall of Fame talents like Charles Barkley and Allen Iverson have tried to will this franchise to greatness, only to come up short. The Sixers suffered through one of the most polarizing strategies in sports when they embraced “The Process,” and though that secured them another Hall of Fame-caliber player in Joel Embiid, they have failed to reach past the second round of the NBA playoffs since 2001. As the failures continued to pile up, so has the criticism for Embiid, as has been the case with past franchise stars.

For all of Philadelphia’s criticism, the city has always celebrated the stars who delivered, whether in championships or unforgettable memories.

Philadelphia has long held an admiration for its homegrown talent, but also for players who made the choice to come to Philadelphia, especially those who led to championship success. Players like Moses Malone, who brought the Sixers to the promised land in 1983.

Unlike LeBron, Malone arrived via sign-and-trade, but his focus was squarely on Philadelphia. It wasn’t simply a chance to get paid. It was an opportunity to contend, chase a championship and play alongside Julius Erving, whom he held in tremendously high regard.

The roles are somewhat reversed in LeBron’s story, but the rest remains quite similar. At 41 years old, LeBron isn’t chasing validation. He’s chasing one last challenge worthy of a historic career: an opportunity to play alongside Joel Embiid, whom LeBron has frequently praised publicly, Tyrese Maxey, with whom he has a deep, longstanding relationship, and Jaylen Brown, who earned public praise from LeBron after carrying the Celtics to a top seed in the Eastern Conference, largely without Jayson Tatum.

The questions surrounding the team’s fit cannot be answered until the Sixers take the court, but there will certainly be a large amount of pressure on LeBron to contribute to those answers. The road will not be easy, especially after the offseason inertia wears off. Winning the city’s first championship since 1983 remains the endgame. However, LeBron has already done himself one tremendous favor by ingratiating himself with local fans through his decision.

Whether the Sixers ultimately raise another banner or not, LeBron has already made the boldest decision of his career. He didn’t choose comfort. He chose Philadelphia.

MORE: Kentavious Caldwell-Pope to sign with Sixers, reunite with LeBron James

Keywords

LeBron James,

Philadelphia 76ers,

Sixers,

Joel Embiid,

Tyrese Maxey,

Jaylen Brown,

Mike Gansey,

NBA,

NBA free agency,

Sixers opinion