LeBron James is in a Philadelphia uniform, looking super comfortable on the court as the 76ers are off to a 2-0 start, including a massive 29-point comeback win against Cleveland. This isn’t just any win, either. It was against a team many around the league, and even LeBron himself, expected him to choose this summer for the next step of his career. Turns out, he actually considered making that move.
Philly King Is Rolling Right Out the Gate
The King is definitely making his presence felt in Philadelphia. In just two games, he’s slotting into a facilitator role, averaging 15.5 points, 9.5 rebounds, and a cool six assists a game. And let’s be real, his new squad is already looking sharp, kicking off the season 2-0 by beating both of last season’s Eastern Conference Finalists. That second win, a monster 29-point comeback victory over the Cavaliers, must have felt a little extra sweet given what went down this summer. This dude isn’t just playing ball, he’s making a statement.
The Cleveland Consideration Was Real
So, about that Cleveland game. Remember all the buzz this summer that LeBron might head back to the Cavaliers? Well, it wasn’t just talk. Tony Jones at The Athletic reported that LeBron admitted he seriously considered it. “The nature of the meeting, I probably won’t discuss much,” James said on Thursday night. “But it was in consideration for sure. I mean, obviously, as a team trying to build towards a championship and things of that nature, I was trying to decide where I wanted to go with the rest of my career, to finish my career, or the next step. So, they had a lot of consideration for sure.” Imagine that, the Cavs were truly in the running.
Cavs Coach Kenny Atkinson Was “Depressed”
You know that feeling when you’re hyped for something big and it just doesn’t happen? That’s exactly how Cleveland felt, and Cavs coach Kenny Atkinson didn’t pull any punches about it before their matchup with Philly. Dave McMenamin of ESPN caught Atkinson’s pregame thoughts: “We were anticipating and excited [to land James] and then you have that [news]. Having gone through free agency a lot, when you’re expecting something to happen and it doesn’t happen, that first day or two, you’re just like, you’re depressed, quite honestly. That’s the emotions of it.” Ouch. You can almost feel the sting from here. But LeBron made his choice, whether it was because he felt Philly was closer to contention, wanted a part-time New York commute via helicopter, or something else entirely. He’s with the 76ers now, and he’s not looking back. His focus is clearly on the next step of his career, and after a 2-0 start that included a dominant comeback, it looks like he’s all in.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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