LeBron James Reveals He Nearly Joined the Knicks Before Landing with 76ers
· Yahoo Sports
Credit: Michael Reaves/Getty
NEED TO KNOW
- LeBron James said Madison Square Garden was where he once envisioned finishing his NBA career in an interview with ESPN on Sept. 28
- The 41-year-old called Tyrese Maxey a main factor in his decision to join the Philadelphia 76ers after his time with the Los Angeles Lakers
- James left the Lakers after eight seasons, including a 2020 championship and historic games alongside son Bronny, 21, last summer
LeBron James is revealing that he almost made a very different decision about his next team after his eight-year tenure with the Los Angeles Lakers.
Visit playerbros.org for more information.
James, 41, confirmed he nearly landed with the New York Knicks as a free agent before picking the Philadelphia 76ers for the 2026-2027 NBA season, he told ESPN on Monday, Sept. 28.
“I had visions of playing in [Madison Square] Garden and finishing my career in the Garden,” James said during the 76ers’ annual media day. “One of the best places I’ve ever played.”
He called MSG “the number one arena in the world, as far as for a basketball player.”
James will play the Knicks at Madison Square Garden at least twice this season, first on Oct. 20 and then on Feb. 27.
“Y’all wouldn’t have let me lay that down, at all,” James said regarding the public scrutiny that would have been attached to joining the Knicks. “But much respect to the Knicks, obviously.”
“An unbelievable team, unbelievable players,” he added. “Shout out Jalen Brunson. I love that guy, he’s unbelievable. But, yeah, I’m happy where I’m at, and I’m looking forward to it.”
Also in Monday’s press conference, James pointed to Sixers star guard Tyrese Maxey — his good friend — as one of the “main deciding factors” in joining the team for his 24th season in the NBA.
Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
“I was asking all the questions that I could ask him,” James shared about their multiple exchanges. “It wasn’t just one conversation. Our relationship, when I broke a lot of the teams and franchises down I could possibly play for, he was one of the main deciding factors.”
James initially announced he would part ways with the Lakers in June, his agent Rich Paul previously confirmed to ESPN.
The NBA star played eight seasons with the Lakers and won the NBA championship in the 2020 COVID bubble season. During his two most recent seasons, the future Hall of Famer made his longtime dream of playing with his son Bronny, 21, come true. The two made history as the first father-son duo to play together in the NBA.
The 76ers will also play their first preseason game against the Knicks on Oct. 5.
Read the original article on People