
In a somewhat shocking turn of events, LeBron James will play his final career days with the Philadelphia 76ers.
The 76ers were always mentioned as a potential destination, but not many had them at the top of James' list.
Now that the deal is done, even his agent, Rich Paul, revealed that James was close to retirement, while other reports suggest that trading for Jaylen Brown may have sealed the deal.
While Brown's addition definitely played a role, that may not have been the reason James chose the 76ers. According to ESPN insider Shams Charania, it may have been coach Nick Nurse.
"The only coach that LeBron James spoke to during this process over the last three and a half weeks, that's Nick Nurse with the Sixers," Charania revealed.
Reporting for the 6p @SportsCenter on LeBron James deciding to play his 24th and potential 25th NBA seasons in Philadelphia: pic.twitter.com/JYaJYFYhy3
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 24, 2026
The fact that no other coach reached out to James to recruit him is somewhat odd, and he clearly has plenty of respect for Nurse as a tactician.
James has always had a complicated relationship with his coaches, and he also likes being catered to. As such, the 76ers may have beaten everyone else because they simply showed they cared more.
Now, James will play on one of the most stacked teams he's ever had, which is a lot to say for a player with a long list of former All-Star teammates.
More importantly, Nurse started his relationship with him with the right foot, which is no minor detail, given his history with other coaches.
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