LeBron James to play for Philadelphia 76ers for record-extending 24th season

All-time NBA scoring leader LeBron James announced on Friday that he will join the Philadelphia 76ers for his record-extending 24th season.

"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," James posted on X.

James will join a 76ers team that already has All-Stars Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and Jaylen Brown, who was recently acquired in a trade with the Boston Celtics, and promising guard VJ Edgecombe.

"I still want to sacrifice. I still want to work. I still want to grind. I still want to compete, to win and to have a chance at the feeling of winning another championship," James wrote.

James averaged 20.9 points per game for the Los Angeles Lakers last season.

"I thought I was done when the season ended. I wasn't ready to announce it, and I knew I needed some time to really decide, but I was pretty sure I played my last game. I was honest at that last press conference when I said I needed to look at myself and deicide if I still love this game. I still truly love this game, and I have more to give," the 41-year-old said in the announcement.

James called the move to Philadelphia his "last decision."

"The last few weeks have really been special. I've never been able to have no clue what to do and take real time to just think. I've had an incredible few months with all the people I love trying to figure it all out. This is my last decision. I'm not going for money. I'm not going for family. What am I really playing for at this point?" he wrote.

James has won four NBA titles in his career, the latest with the Lakers in 2020. He also won with the Miami Heat in 2012 and 2013, and with his hometown club Cleveland Cavaliers in 2016.

"Thank you LA. Miami I'll forever love and Northeast Ohio will always home!" he wrote.

James is a four-time NBA Most Valuable Player and four-time NBA Finals MVP. He averaged 26.8 points, 7.5 rebounds and 7.4 assists in more than 1,600 games, and became the first player in NBA history to reach 40,000 career points in March 2024.