LeBron James receives a harsh chant from Knicks fans during 76ers debut

IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

LeBron James receives a harsh chant from Knicks fans during 76ers debut

Originally posted on Larry Brown Sports
By Darryn Albert | Last updated Oct 20, 2026 8:56 PM ET

New York Knicks fans were right on LeBron James’ case from the very start.

James made his official debut for the Philadelphia 76ers during Tuesday’s regular season opener against the Knicks. But it did not take long for the crowd at Madison Square Garden in New York, N.Y., to start trolling The King.

As James was shooting free throws in the first quarter, he got a cold chant from the MSG faithful. They began chanting, “WE DON’T WANT YOU!”

Here is the video.

Knicks fans chanting to LeBron James:

“WE DON’T WANT YOU” pic.twitter.com/LTxtA5kM6Q
— BrickCenter (@BrickCenter_) October 21, 2026

The Knicks pursued James in free agency multiple times over the years (most notably in 2010 when he chose the Miami Heat instead and in 2018 when he chose the Los Angeles Lakers). In a recent interview, James also explained why he decided to pass on New York.

But the Knicks now have the high ground of sorts after winning the 2026 NBA championship. James’ camp actually reached out to the Knicks when he was a free agent this past summer, but they reportedly had no interest in signing him this time around.

The 41-year-old James did proceed to miss the second of his two free throws after the chant, so it appears that the taunting worked a little bit. Still, that was not quite the worst chant that James has gotten before.

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