By Amy Tennery
PHILADELPHIA, Sept 28 (Reuters) – “You guys know who I am, right?”
The name is familiar but the 76ers red, white and blue jersey was new for LeBron James, who opened his introductory press conference on Monday with a quick quip amid the extraordinary buzz that surrounds his arrival in Philadelphia.
Wearing the Sixers jersey in public for the first time, he quickly removed his own name tag from the table as he met with an overflowing crowd of reporters at the Sixers training complex, where his arrival has been regarded as nothing short of a coronation.
“I’m super excited to get in front of these fans, they know sports,” said James, with a clean-shaven head to match his clean start with his fourth franchise, following a successful tenure with the Los Angeles Lakers.
“They know ball.”
The 41-year-old four-times MVP took a historic pay cut – and left behind his own son-turned-teammate Bronny – to begin his record-extending 24th season with a team he is convinced can lift the trophy.
Fans hope he is right, with the glory days of Julius “Dr. J” Erving, who brought home their last title in 1983, an ever-distant memory.
“If we want to accomplish something that’s really, really important, like if we say that we want to do something special will be a collective sacrifice,” said James, whose reported $8 million two-year contract in Philadelphia pales in comparison to the roughly $52 million he made in his final season in Los Angeles.
He told reporters he had a list of five teams that he was considering before landing on Philadelphia, insisting he had not decided whether his contract with the Sixers would be the last of his career.
“I’m just looking at it every single day on how I can be the best version of myself for this franchise while I’m here,” he said.
EMBIID, LEBRON TEAM UP
James, who also picked up titles in Miami and Cleveland, will form a formidable cast with the 2023 MVP and big man Joel Embiid, who debuted a slimmer physique after years of injury issues.
“Joel is one of the most talented guys that we have in the world and, and obviously we all know that, you know, for him it’s been about help. You know, how can you stay healthy to be the best version of himself, be the best version of himself, to be the best version of us as a team,” said James.
Asked what his own off-season conversations looked like getting James to Philadelphia, the seven-times All-Star Embiid flashed a wry smile.
“I didn’t talk to LeBron at all,” he said. “I didn’t recruit him.”
James begins his record-extending 24th season on the road against the reigning champion New York Knicks, who ended 53 years of heartbreak for the five boroughs in June.
(Reporting by Amy Tennery and Julio-Cesar Chavez in PhiladelphiaEditing by Christian Radnedge)
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