The 'King' has already dressed in red. LeBron James made his official debut with the Philadelphia 76ers at the Barclays Center, facing the Brooklyn Nets. In a game charged with expectations and new alliances, James took his first steps in a project that seeks to break a title drought that has lasted more than four decades.

The wait is over. LeBron James stepped onto the Barclays Center court to debut with the Philadelphia 76ers in a preseason game that kept all of New York expectant. The 41-year-old player, who is facing his 24th season in the NBA, maintained his sacred ritual with the chalk toss before the opening tip-off.

Although the 76ers fell 114-108 to the Brooklyn Nets —who took advantage of a dominant third quarter—, the focus was on the chemistry of the new roster. Coach Nick Nurse closely evaluated the connection between James and figures such as Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and the recent addition of Jaylen Brown.

The fact: James signed a two-year contract with the clear goal of leading Philadelphia to its first championship since 1983.

Regarding the statistics, the 'King' had a measured but efficient participation in his first 18 minutes of action:

Player Points Rebounds Assists Others
LeBron James 10 4 5 1 steal / 8 FT
Jaylen Brown 18 - - 76ers leading scorer
Julius Randle 14 - - Nets figure

Outside of sports, the atmosphere was tense when LeBron had to respond to rumors about an alleged reprimand toward Joel Embiid for arriving late to practices, although the main focus remains on the schedule.

What's next for the 76ers:

  • Two more preseason matches against Boston.
  • Start of the regular season on October 20 against the New York Knicks at the emblematic Madison Square Garden.

Source: IMAGO