'LeBron mania' sweeps Brooklyn in King James' debut with the 76ers

NEW YORK — NBA preseason games usually carry little significance. Unless, of course, LeBron James is making his debut for the Philadelphia 76ers—the fourth team of his career—just 12 days before tipping off his record-extending 24th season in the league, and roughly two and a half months shy of his 42nd birthday.

And that is exactly what happened. After sitting out on the bench in street clothes for Philadelphia's preseason opener against the Knicks, LeBron and the rest of the Sixers' projected starting five—Tyrese Maxey, VJ Edgecombe, Jaylen Brown, and Joel Embiid—shared the court for the first time at the Barclays Center against the Brooklyn Nets. Embiid and Maxey had also been rested three days earlier. And yes, it still feels strange to see Jaylen Brown suited up in blue after spending ten seasons with the Celtics.

Few believed LeBron would suit up so soon. Through Thursday morning, plenty of resale tickets were still available at reasonable prices. However, once word broke in the afternoon that the four-time NBA champion—who has won rings with every franchise he has played for (the Cavaliers, Heat twice, and Lakers)—would indeed play, tickets disappeared rapidly. The arena drew a crowd of 16,785, just 2,215 short of full capacity.

A couple of hours before tip-off outside the arena in Brooklyn, the sheer volume of LeBron James jerseys made it obvious why the crowd had gathered. Many were already sporting his new 76ers jersey—which sold out within an hour of the 22-time All-Star's stunning move from Los Angeles to Philadelphia. Above all, the vast majority were there simply to celebrate their idol.

Fans showed off jerseys spanning his entire career, from Cleveland and Miami to Los Angeles and Team USA. These supporters are loyal to no single team; they belong to Team LeBron, wherever he plays. Near courtside, one fan in his thirties wore his jersey backwards to display "James" across his chest, paired with a white goat mask. For him, LeBron is the undisputed GOAT (Greatest Of All Time), and he did not stop until he caught his idol's attention.

Inside, LeBron was out early for pre-game warmups. Even with sparse stands early on, phones were already raised to capture every move, and his first warmup dunk brought the night's first roar. "LeBron, we love you!" echoed through the arena.

James stayed focused, but before heading to the locker room, he took time to sign autographs for several young fans—many already wearing his Sixers jersey—near the tunnel, flanked by his security detail. For those kids, the night was already a complete success.

Cheers erupted again as the Sixers returned for team warmups. With the arena nearly full, LeBron jerseys significantly outnumbered Brooklyn's. Once again, James commanded every ounce of attention. As always, he already had customized handshakes down with each of his new teammates. Despite his upbeat demeanor, a hint of nervous energy showed—he could hardly stand still during the national anthem, constantly stretching his core and rehearsing his shooting motion.

When starting lineups were announced, no Nets player received an ovation quite like King James, the man set to sell out arenas across the country in 2026/27. On October 20, he will return to New York to face the Knicks on Opening Night for the start of the 81st NBA season.

"Yeah, it felt a little different. Obviously, wearing a new uniform, but a game is a game and you have to go out and play. I was just happy to get some minutes alongside the guys I've been battling against in practice over the last week and a half or two weeks," James said afterward. The Sixers opted for a locker room scrum rather than a press room appearance, given the modest media presence on hand.

LeBron (4 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 turnovers) started and logged just over 18 minutes, all in the first half. He scored 10 points, shooting a perfect 8-for-8 from the free-throw line. His first point as a Sixer came from the charity stripe after drawing a foul with 4:45 remaining in the opening quarter (21-20). After a brief rest, he checked back in and added two more free throws with 12.3 seconds left in the period.

On the court, James never forced the issue, despite the crowd urging him to play one-on-one, pull up from deep, or finish a transition dunk. Instead, he waited until five minutes into the second quarter to convert his only two-point field goal attempt of the night—a smooth, acrobatic finish at the rim.

"I have my routine [including his iconic pre-game chalk toss at the scorer's table], but coming off an offseason, you have to remind yourself how it feels all over again—no matter how long you've been doing this. Everything counts, so I'm still taking it all in, on and off the court, day in and day out with these guys. There are still plenty of adjustments to make on my end, but we're getting better every day," he explained while dressing.

"We're still trying to put each other in positions to succeed and figure out how to complement one another on the floor. That takes time. Tonight was a good sample to build on," concluded LeBron James, who was the first Sixer to leave the locker room to head home, having settled into New York.

For the record, the Nets pulled away in the third quarter against Philadelphia's deep bench to claim a 114-108 victory (33-33, 23-25, 37-23, 21-27). But preseason games only matter so much... unless LeBron James is making his Philadelphia 76ers debut.