{"id":2063634,"date":"2026-07-27T09:15:04","date_gmt":"2026-07-27T06:15:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=2063634"},"modified":"2026-07-27T09:15:04","modified_gmt":"2026-07-27T06:15:04","slug":"in-philadelphia-profane-shock-and-exultant-joy-over-lebron-james-he-chose-us","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=2063634","title":{"rendered":"In Philadelphia, profane shock and exultant joy over LeBron James: \u2018He chose us\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"
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PHILADELPHIA \u2014 Within seconds of the basketball news of the summer breaking, my friend Stephen Pi\u00f1a \u2014 a lifelong Sixers fan \u2014 called my phone. I couldn\u2019t answer. Like almost every other NBA journalist Friday morning, I was trying to gather details on LeBron James signing with the Philadelphia 76ers.<\/p>\n

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As I checked in with my editors, I looked at my phone again. I had 138 text messages. My basketball-agnostic wife was in our family living room screaming like her favorite team had won it all. My daughter was asking about tickets to a game. And Steve was still calling.<\/p>\n

I finally answered.<\/p>\n

Steve, who grew up with me in Center City and also worked in basketball, was mid-sentence: \u201cWhy didn\u2019t you tell me LeBron was coming to Philly? You think we can win it?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSteve, it\u2019s July,\u201d I responded. \u201cI gotta write, bro.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Why Philly will be LeBron’s hardest test<\/div>\n
David Aldridge and Johnny Sweet<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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