Latest News
LeBron James joins Philadelphia 76ers on two-year deal as Trump revives long-running feud
LeBron James has agreed to join the Philadelphia 76ers on a two-year contract worth $8m, a move that thrusts the 41-year-old NBA all-time leading scorer into a new title chase while simultaneously reigniting his bitter public dispute with US President Donald Trump.
The deal, which includes a player option that could allow James to play a 25th NBA season, was confirmed by multiple reports on Friday and marks a dramatic twist in free agency after eight seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers.
James, embarking on what will be a record 24th NBA campaign, is taking a substantial pay cut to move to Philadelphia in pursuit of a fifth championship ring.
“I believe I can help make the Philadelphia 76ers a championship team and I am so excited to energize a new fan base and start this incredible journey one last time,” he wrote on social media as he announced his decision, adding that he still wants to “grind,” “compete,” and chase “the feeling of winning another championship.”
The agreement was first reported by ESPN’s Shams Charania through Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul, and will see James line up alongside Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and new signing Jaylen Brown.
Sixers reshape roster around James
The arrival of James immediately elevates the 76ers into the group of contenders in the Eastern Conference after an active offseason that already included trading for Brown.
Philadelphia, long searching for a formula to turn regular-season promise into a championship run, will now build around a core of James, Embiid, Maxey and Brown as training camps edge closer.
This will be the fourth franchise of James’ career following previous stints with the Cleveland Cavaliers, Miami Heat and Lakers.
Selected first overall by the Cavaliers in the 2003 NBA Draft out of St. Vincent–St. Mary High School in Akron, Ohio, James has compiled one of the most decorated resumes in basketball history.
He has won four NBA titles – in 2012 and 2013 with Miami, in 2016 with Cleveland and in 2020 with Los Angeles – along with four Finals MVP awards and four regular-season MVP trophies.
A 22-time All-Star, James holds the NBA’s all-time scoring record and has averaged roughly 26.8 points, 7.5 rebounds and 7.4 assists over more than 1,600 games.
On the international stage he has also claimed Olympic gold medals and earned MVP honours in 2024.
Trump hails Jordan, questions James
News of the move quickly prompted a reaction from President Trump, who was asked at a White House event about the greatest player in NBA history as James’ decision was being discussed.
Trump singled out Michael Jordan as his choice, describing him as both a personal friend and a golf partner.
Turning to James, Trump said: “And I think LeBron is – maybe he’s a racist, but maybe he doesn’t like Trump. I don’t know. But I only like people that like me.”
His comments were swiftly circulated on social media and in US media, injecting fresh heat into a feud that has simmered for years between the president and the four-time champion.
Feud rooted in politics, race and activism
The disagreement between the pair intensified in 2017–2018 when James publicly condemned Trump’s travel ban, his language on race and his stance toward athletes who protested during the national anthem.
After James appeared in a CNN interview with Don Lemon to discuss his I Promise School in Akron, Trump responded on social media by questioning the player’s intelligence, claiming Lemon “made LeBron look smart, which isn’t easy to do” and signing off with the line “I like Mike!”
James, for his part, has repeatedly accused Trump of exploiting sport and racial tensions to divide Americans.
As he prepares to don the 76ers’ red, white and blue, the question now is whether James can add a fifth championship to his legacy in Philadelphia – and how his latest career move will intersect with the ongoing political and cultural debate that has long surrounded him.
With training camps approaching and James committed to “one last time” in the title race, attention across the basketball world is fixed on how his partnership with Embiid, Maxey and Brown will reshape the balance of power in the East, and on the latest turn in his long-running clash with the president.
