LeBron James Opens 24th NBA Season With Philadelphia 76ers

LeBron James begins his record 24th NBA season with the Philadelphia 76ers when they visit the New York Knicks on Tuesday, October 20, 2026, at Madison Square Garden. The 41-year-old forward joins a revamped Philadelphia lineup seeking its first NBA championship since 1983, while New York celebrates its first title since 1973 with a championship banner ceremony.

According to reporting by ESPN and The Associated Press, James signed a two-year contract with Philadelphia during the offseason after spending the previous eight seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers. His arrival has generated substantial interest among Sixers fans, with preseason games selling out and a public scrimmage attracting more than 10,000 spectators.

Philadelphia plans to pair James and fellow newcomer Jaylen Brown with established starters Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe. Integrating several players accustomed to handling the ball and directing their teams' offenses will be a central challenge as the Sixers begin their campaign.

James offered a measured assessment of the team's preparations following its preseason finale against the Boston Celtics, which Philadelphia lost 125-120 in overtime.

"We're getting there," James said. "We're a couple of weeks in. We're still working on our rhythm, working on our kinks.

It's not going to be perfect. Obviously, we're just getting together, so it's not going to be perfect. But we've got some things we can build on."

The Sixers' preseason finale also provided a glimpse of the connection between James and Maxey. A half-court lob from Maxey set up a two-handed dunk by James in front of a sellout crowd of 19,746 at Philadelphia's home arena.

"This is a connection that we have," James said. "Some of the best things for us offensively is going to be to get up the floor."

James finished that game with eight points and eight rebounds. He had previously recorded 10 points, five assists and four rebounds in the first half of a preseason appearance against Brooklyn, according to ESPN.

Philadelphia also added Brown, the 2024 NBA Finals Most Valuable Player, during the offseason. Brown scored 20 points against Boston in the preseason, marking his first appearance against the Celtics since leaving the franchise.

"I played there for 10 years, so it will never be out of the way," Brown said.

James' arrival has attracted attention beyond the court. His first Philadelphia home preseason appearance drew enthusiastic reactions from fans, while his No. 23 jersey has featured prominently in the city's basketball merchandise and murals. He also appeared on the cover of SLAM Magazine's upcoming December/January issue, marking his 30th cover appearance for the publication, according to The Philadelphia Inquirer.

New York coach Mike Brown, who coached James with the Cleveland Cavaliers from 2005 through 2010, highlighted the significance of his longevity before the season began.

"Year 24 is insane," Brown said. "It's unheard of. It's not human.

People talk about (Victor Wembanyama) being not human because of what he can do for his size. You kind of throw LeBron in that category because of his durability and still doing it at the age that he has at a high level. It's amazing to watch."

James enters the season as the NBA's career scoring leader and also holds league records for games played, minutes, field goals made and field goals attempted. He has won four championships with three teams and now seeks another title with Philadelphia.

The Sixers' season opener against the Knicks begins a demanding early schedule. Philadelphia returns home Thursday to face the Cleveland Cavaliers before playing consecutive games over the weekend, according to ESPN's preseason report.