LeBron James makes powerful statement on 76ers goals

Philadelphia 76ers forward LeBron James. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

LeBron James makes powerful statement on 76ers goals

By Paul White | Last updated Sep 28, 2026 12:11 PM ET

Philadelphia 76ers forward LeBron James took one of the biggest risks of his career this offseason. He joined a 76ers team that hasn’t won a championship since before he was born, and now the expectations have risen to that level.

The stakes only increase when considering that James departed from the Los Angeles Lakers, a destination that his family took a liking to. His son, Bronny James, still plays on the team, and the other members of his family also maintain roots in the Los Angeles area.

It was a big risk to join the 76ers when James could have ridden off into the sunset with a team like the Cleveland Cavaliers. He knows that his decision carries the expectation of winning a championship, and he’s excited for the challenge.

LeBron James makes 76ers goals perfectly clear

When closing out his appearance at 76ers media day Monday, he made a powerful comment about leaving his family.

“I didn’t leave my family to lose in the second round, I know that,” said James.

LeBron "I didn't leave my family to lose in the second round, I know that"
— Kyle Neubeck (@KyleNeubeck) September 28, 2026

The second round is a threshold that Philadelphia hasn’t crossed in more than 25 years. It hasn’t been to the conference finals since the 2000-01 season, but James plans on ending that drought. He spoke endlessly during his media session about competing at a higher level and giving his teammates the wisdom to win on the big stage.

James and his new teammate, Jaylen Brown, are the two stars on the team who have championship experience, so the onus will be on them to teach those winning habits to the rest of the roster. The 76ers have been starving for success, and James is going to do everything in his power to bring it to the team.

Paul White

Paul White is a contract writer from Philadelphia who attended Penn State University. He has contributed hundreds of stories about the NFL and NBA over the years and now brings that experience over to Yardbarker. He is a lifelong Philadelphia sports fan looking to bring the same passion from his city to sports media.

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