LeBron James is officially a Philadelphia 76er, and this is wild: the guy who just traded for him, Sixers President Mike Gansey, was his high school rival in Ohio, battling him for Mr. Basketball way back in 2001. Talk about a full-circle moment, more than two decades in the making, and it could be the spark for an NBA championship run for the 2026-27 season.
Ohio Roots Run Deep For Philly’s New Power Duo
These two go way back, squaring off in the Buckeye State when they were both top-tier high school hoopers. Imagine that: two of the best talents in Ohio, almost neck-and-neck in the 2001 Ohio Mr. Basketball rankings. James just barely edged Gansey out for the honor, and there’s even a viral photo floating around of them together from those days. It’s a rare thing to see high school opponents play on the same NBA team, but for one to be the team’s president while the other is an active player? That’s next level.
James, of course, went to St. Vincent-St. Mary High in Akron, Ohio, where he snagged three state titles in 2000, 2001, and 2003, becoming a nationwide phenom. Remember that iconic game in 2002 when the SVSM Irish beat the No. 1 high school team, Oak Hill Academy, 65-45? James dropped 31 points, 13 rebounds, and six assists in that one. Gansey was no slouch either, an All-State star at Olmstead Falls, where he holds the school’s all-time points record with 1,909 points, averaging 20.9 points per game. He went on to play college ball for two seasons at St. Bonaventure before transferring to the Mountaineers in 2004, averaging 12.8 points and 5.2 rebounds over 125 college games.
From Cavaliers Front Office To Sixers’ Big Move
After their high school days, their paths diverged into the NBA world, but Gansey stayed behind the scenes. He put in 15 years with the Cavaliers’ organization, starting in the G League, then getting promoted to Cleveland’s assistant general manager in 2017, and eventually general manager just five years after that. This past June, after Daryl Morey departed, Philadelphia wasted no time hiring Gansey to be their president of basketball operations. And then, just a month later, his organization traded for his old Ohio basketball rival, LeBron James.
It’s a wild twist of fate for these two, now both vying for an NBA championship with the Sixers. With the opening tip of the 2026-27 season still to come, you know everyone will be watching to see if this historic reunion can pay off with the ultimate prize.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by The Sporting News.
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