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LeBron James announced on Friday that he will join the Philadelphia 76ers next season.
James, 41, is reportedly signing a two-year, $8 million deal, at a significant discount, to join the 76ers, ESPN first reported.
James said he thought he was done at the end of the season and said he was pretty sure he had played his last game.
“I thought I was done when the season ended. I wasn’t ready to announce it, and I knew I needed some time to really decide, but I was pretty sure I had played my last game. I was honest in that last press conference when I said I needed to look at myself and decide if I still love this game,” James wrote on X.
“I still love this game and I have more to give.”
James called the past few weeks “special,” saying he’s never been able to take so much time to think about such an important decision before.
“I’ve had an amazing few months with all the people I love trying to figure it all out. This is my last decision. I’m not going for the money. I’m not going for the family. What am I really playing for right now? I still want to sacrifice. I still want to work. I still want to push myself. I still want to compete, win and have the opportunity to feel the feeling of winning,” James wrote.
The NBA legend said he still wants to sacrifice and work to try to win another NBA title.
“I still want to sacrifice. I still want to work. I still want to push myself. I still want to compete, win and have the opportunity to feel the feeling of winning another championship,” James said.
“I believe I can help make the Philadelphia 76ers a championship team and I am very excited to energize a new fan base and begin this incredible journey one last time. Thank you Los Angeles. I will always love Miami and Northeast Ohio will always be my home.”
The 76ers will be the fourth team James will play for in his illustrious career. For Philadelphia, James is the second major star to join the team this offseason, as they acquired Jaylen Brown in a surprising trade with the Boston Celtics earlier this month.
Last season, the 76ers were swept by the New York Knicks in the Eastern Conference semifinals, and they hope the additions of James and Brown can propel them to a championship.
While James may not be the force he once was, he is still a productive player in his 24th season. In 60 games with the Los Angeles Lakers last season, James averaged 20.9 points, 7.2 assists and 6.1 rebounds per game.
This is breaking news. Please check back for updates.
