According to Shams Charania of ESPN, Philadelphia 76ers head coach Nick Nurse was the only coach LeBron James spoke to in free agency.
James is signing a two-year, $8 million deal with the 76ers.
Nurse coached the Toronto Raptors to the 2019 championship against the Golden State Warriors. He’s been with the 76ers since 2023.
James chose the 76ers over the Cleveland Cavaliers, Miami Heat, Warriors and Minnesota Timberwolves. Philadelphia All-Stars Joel Embiid, Jaylen Brown and Tyrese Maxey heavily recruited James.
The 76ers now have a lethal core of James, Embiid, Brown, Maxey and VJ Edgecombe. Philadelphia also added Dean Wade and Anfernee Simons this summer.
Arguably the best player in NBA history, James appeared in 60 games last season, his 23rd year in the NBA. He averaged 20.9 points, 6.1 rebounds and 7.2 assists per game for the Los Angeles Lakers.
In the 2026 playoffs against the Houston Rockets and Oklahoma City Thunder, James put up 23.2 points, 6.7 rebounds and 7.3 assists per game. The Lakers defeated the Rockets in the first round in six games. However, LAL lost to OKC in the second round in four games.
James, who has been in the NBA since 2003, is a four-time MVP, four-time champion and four-time Finals MVP. He’s the all-time leader in points, field goals, minutes and games and has made 21 All-NBA teams and 22 All-Star teams.
The 76ers have never advanced past the second round of the playoffs in the Embiid era, which began in 2016-17. That should change next season with James in the fold next to Embiid, Maxey, Edgecombe and Brown.
James, 41, holds career averages of 26.8 points, 7.5 rebounds and 7.4 assists per game in the regular season and 28.2 points, 8.9 rebounds and 7.2 assists per game in the playoffs with the Cavaliers, Heat and Lakers. He won the 2012 and 2013 championships with the Heat, the 2016 championship with the Cavaliers and the 2020 championship with the Lakers at the Walt Disney World Bubble.
As expected, James will wear No. 23 with the 76ers. The future Hall of Famer turns 42 in December.
