LeBron James may have foreshadowed his decision to join the Philadelphia 76ers eight years ago.
After James announced his decision to sign with the 76ers, an old quote of his resurfaced in which he talks about the energy and passion of Philadelphia fans. In April 2018, James remarked that Philadelphia fans never changed based on the fortunes of their team, and were always passionate and supportive.
“To be honest, I’ve been coming here to Philly for a while. Started off with (Allen Iverson), the days in-between, after AI, when they weren’t that good, to now,” James said at the time. “Philly fans haven’t changed. They love their team. They love their ball club. They come out and support. … It’s always been kind of rowdy coming here.”
LeBron James on Philly fans: pic.twitter.com/tFGDxogfEn
— Brandon Lee Gowton (@BrandonGowton) April 7, 2018
The 76ers tried to sign James in 2018, when he ultimately chose to sign with the Los Angeles Lakers. At the time, his words gave the Sixers encouragement, though in retrospect they do not appear to have been all that close to signing him at that time.
It is not ridiculous to think that Philadelphia’s ardent fan support might have played a role in James’ decision. They can be a brutal bunch at times, but when their teams are winning, they are among the most passionate in the country.
