LeBron James’ stunning decision to join the Philadelphia 76ers may have surprised the NBA world, but the connections pulling him toward Philadelphia had been hiding in plain sight. James announced Friday that he will play his record-setting 24th NBA season with the Sixers, ending his eight-year run with the Los Angeles Lakers. While Philadelphia’s star-studded roster gave him another opportunity to chase a championship, his relationships with president of basketball operations Mike Gansey and HBSE president of sports Bob Myers helped make the Sixers a uniquely familiar destination.
The strongest connection goes back more than 25 years.
Gansey and James were two of Ohio’s best high school basketball players in 2001. James won Ohio Mr. Basketball as a sophomore at St. Vincent-St. Mary, while Gansey finished second in the voting after starring at Olmsted Falls.
A throwback photo of the two Ohio standouts standing together resurfaced during James’ free agency and immediately fueled speculation about Philadelphia’s chances.
That shared history was only the beginning.
Mike Gansey’s LeBron James connection runs through Cleveland
Gansey eventually transitioned from playing to the front office, spending 15 years in the Cleveland Cavaliers organization before Philadelphia hired him in June.
His rise overlapped with James’ second stint in Cleveland.
Gansey served as general manager of the Cavaliers’ G League affiliate before being promoted to Cleveland’s assistant general manager in July 2017. James was entering the final season of his second Cavaliers run at the time, one year removed from leading the organization to its first NBA championship. Gansey later became Cleveland’s general manager in 2022 before Philadelphia selected him to replace Daryl Morey as its top basketball executive. The Sixers praised his eye for talent and reputation as a relentless worker when announcing the hire.
James’ agent, Rich Paul, made it clear during the free-agency process that the relationship mattered. While discussing Philadelphia on “Game Over,” Paul pointed to Gansey as one of the Sixers’ potential X-factors and confidently said James would remember him from their Ohio basketball days.
That familiarity gave Philadelphia something that could not be created through a presentation or sales pitch. James already knew Gansey, his background and the basketball culture that shaped him.
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Bob Myers made Philadelphia’s pitch public
Myers helped connect the remaining pieces. The former Golden State Warriors general manager led the search that brought Gansey to Philadelphia. He then appeared on “Game Over,” the podcast hosted by Paul and Max Kellerman, and delivered a direct pitch to James.
“If it’s about winning, let’s talk about this team because you can win here in Philadelphia,” Myers said.
Myers acknowledged that James would have to weigh family, lifestyle and the inevitable criticism surrounding his decision. From a basketball standpoint, however, Myers believed the Sixers offered James his best opportunity to win.
That message carried additional weight coming from an executive who helped build four championship teams around Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green in Golden State. Myers knew what a championship roster looked like. Gansey knew James. Paul had an established relationship with both sides.
Then there was Tyrese Maxey, James’ longtime offseason workout partner and fellow Klutch Sports client. James has publicly praised Maxey’s dedication after witnessing the Sixers guard arrive for grueling 5 a.m. training sessions summer after summer.
Put all those connections together, and Philadelphia no longer looks like an unexpected final destination.
It looks like the product of relationships developed across decades, beginning on Ohio high school courts and continuing through Cleveland, Golden State and James’ inner circle. The Sixers had the roster to attract James. Gansey, Myers and Maxey gave him reasons to trust the people behind it.
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