King James is coming to Philly

Cue the trumpets. The king himself is coming to the birthplace of American independence. In a social media post on Friday, LeBron James announced that he wanted to finish his unparalleled career in the city of brotherly love.

The announcement came as a surprise to some who thought the four-time NBA champion would go for a team he had a history with like the Miami Heat or the Cleveland Cavaliers. Others wondered if the league’s oldest player might finally hang up his jersey after nearly a quarter century on the court. 

The 22-time all star, four time MVP, and all-time leading scorer instead chose Philadelphia, where he will be joining fellow stars Joel Embiid, Jaylen Brown and Tyrese Maxey. In his announcement, James said he thought it was his best chance at another championship ring and he looked forward to energizing a new fan base. 

And while the former is still undecided, the latter is well on its way. The last time the Sixers won a championship was a year before James was born and fans all over the city are celebrating the possibility.

So today: we’re talking about LeBron James, the legendary basketball player and activist, and what he might mean for Philadelphia both on and off the court. 

Guests: 

• Howard Bryant, sports correspondent for NPR’s Weekend Edition and author of eleven books about sports and culture. His latest is Kings and Pawns: Jackie Robinson and Paul Robeson in America.
• Mike Sielski, sports columnist at The Philadelphia Inquirer and author of five books, including The Rise: Kobe Bryant.
• Marc Jackson, analyst for NBC Sports and former center on the Philadelphia 76ers.