LeBron James reportedly nearing deal to emulate Michael Jordan with ESPN doc

LeBron James chose Philadelphia 76ers for legacy

Ten years ago, James told Sports Illustrated that his motivation was "This ghost I'm chasing. The ghost that played in Chicago." That was after James won his third title and first with the Cleveland Cavaliers. He's unlikely to catch the six titles won by "the ghost," but choosing the 76ers gives James a chance to do something unique: win titles with four different NBA franchises.

James had other options, but the 76ers represent his best chance at a fifth ring, which would put him one short of Jordan and one past rival Steph Curry. With 2023 NBA MVP Joel Embiid and 2024 NBA Finals MVP Jaylen Brown on board, plus All-Rookie guard VJ Edgecombe, the Sixers are the most serious contender James could join — without simply jumping on board an existing great team.

He's also clearly the biggest star on the team, rather than a co-star with Curry on the Golden State Warriors or with Giannis Antetokounmpo on the Miami Heat. All that makes a show about James and the Sixers more compelling than with other teams.

LeBron James' documentary unlikely to be the phenomenon that Michael Jordan's was

While James is still incredibly popular, setting records for jersey sales after his signing, it would be hard to match the impact that "The Last Dance" had. First, Jordan's documentary dropped during the COVID-19 pandemic, when professional sports were suspended and people were sheltering in place at home with little else to do.

It's also not necessarily going to be the final season for James, who has a player option for the 2027-28 season. At age 41, any season could be the last one for James, but he played 60 of the final 68 regular-season games last year, then 10 playoff games. James seems like he could play as long as he wants. 

The Jordan doc also featured rare footage of Jordan and the 1997-98 Chicago Bulls that had never been seen before. The planned James doc promises the same thing, but in the internet era, there's no lack of video of James. Two years ago, James was one of five subjects of a documentary series, "Starting 5," which followed him throughout the 2023-24 NBA season. 

The project should net James a hefty payday, perhaps making up for his playing on a veteran's minimum salary. But for a player who has already been the subject of documentaries, hosts his own podcast and did eight seasons of a talk show called "The Shop," it's hard to imagine what the public hasn't yet learned about James.

There is a silver lining to the project. If the fit of James with the Sixers is, as one anonymous coach suggested, "hard to watch," then the documentary series becomes all the more watchable.

We've seen plenty of footage of James succeeding. A series documenting a 76ers implosion would be truly must-see television.