Oct 8, 2026; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Philadelphia 76ers forward Lebron James (23) during the first half against the Brooklyn Nets at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: John Jones-Imagn Images
Oct 8, 2026; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Philadelphia 76ers forward Lebron James (23) during the first half against the Brooklyn Nets at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: John Jones-Imagn Images
LeBron James wore the 76ers jersey on the court for the first time tonight as the team lost 108-114 to the Nets in the second game of their preseason run. As expected, James played limited minutes to get into the necessary rhythm to prepare for NBA action, but sat out the entire second half.
He finished with 10 points, four rebounds, and five assists, shooting 1-for-1 from the field (100% FG). After the game, the 41-year-old veteran superstar spoke to the media scrum in the locker room about his first appearance in the 76ers’ jersey with his new teammates.
“Yeah, I mean it felt a little different obviously, because I was wearing a new uniform. The game is the game, and the game needs to be played on the floor. It was great to finally log some time with the guys that, you know, we know are gonna be in the fold,” LeBron James said of making his debut in the 76ers’ jersey.
“I think it’s always important to attack offensively before the opposing defense is set,” LeBron James also said about tonight’s loss to the Nets.
“So anytime we can get some early transition points or points against defenses that are not set, or you know, you got VJ, you got Maxey, you got JB, so to especially be able to punch those gaps. Especially one-on-one, guys won’t be able to stay in front of those guys. So it was great to connect on those a couple of times.”
“Every day is getting better. I’m gonna have some days where days will be better than others. I get to the facility when I’m on these guys; it definitely helps. We got good energy, good spirit, obviously the basketball game what it brings to to all of us is a sense of like togetherness and fun. It’s fun to go to work,” LeBron James added about adjusting to life in Philadelphia.
“As I said, every day is going to be better, especially when I’m around these guys, locker room, plane rides, practices, and the facility things; that definitely helps,” he concluded.
There is a reason why the famous quote says Rome wasn’t built in a day. Despite the loss to the Nets with a fully healthy roster, LeBron James clearly took away some positives from his first game with his new teammates as he begins building team chemistry.
With the veteran superstar still adjusting to Philadelphia, the preseason offers the 76ers a valuable opportunity to build chemistry and establish their offensive identity before the games begin to count.
The 76ers now head to Boston to face the Celtics in back-to-back preseason games before the regular season tips off. Even though expectations are high to figure out their winning ways instantly, it will likely take time for the 76ers to decipher the winning formula on the court. All it requires now is patience.