10 video games to look at: LeBron James’ twenty fourth season

As LeBron James prepares to change into the primary participant to ever play a twenty fourth NBA season, he’s doing so with a brand new group after signing with the Philadelphia 76ers as a free agent final month.

After profitable 4 titles and creating numerous must-see moments whereas taking part in for the Cavaliers, Heat and Lakers, the NBA’s all-time chief in factors and video games performed will start to put in writing a brand new chapter in his unprecedented profession.

Here are 10 can’t-miss video games as LeBron begins his first season in Philly, listed in chronological order:

1. Sixers debut on Opening Night

James will make his Sixers debut on the opening night time of the 2026-27 common season visiting the defending champion Knicks in New York. This recreation is not going to solely present our first impression of the new-look Sixers — who additionally added Jaylen Brown by way of commerce within the offseason — however it’s going to additionally happen on the league’s brightest stage: Madison Square Garden. In 34 profession video games at MSG, James is 24-10 with averages of 28.1 factors, 6.9 rebounds and seven.4 assists.

2. Philly’s dwelling opener towards Cleveland

• Cavaliers vs. 76ers — Thurs., Oct. 22 (7 ET, ESPN)

Two days later, the Sixers play their dwelling opener as Philly followers get to see James in a Sixers uniform for the primary time in individual. Expect a thunderous reception from the Xfinity Mobile Arena crowd as this new beginning 5 is launched for the primary time. This recreation has the added layer of being towards the Cavaliers. As he was making his “final decision,” James thought-about a return to Cleveland, the place he started his profession in 2003 and led them to a title in 2016. In the top, he selected Philly over the potential full-circle storybook ending.

3. Playoffs rematch after seven-game collection

Over the course of James’ profession, the Celtics have been each a private and a group rival. Boston was the group that Cleveland couldn’t overcome in 2008 and 2010, however the group James conquered in 2012 with Miami on his solution to his first title. When he turned a Laker, James joined the NBA’s most historic rivalry. And now, as a Sixer, he’s a part of a brand new rivalry that has a wealthy historical past and up to date matchups, together with seven-game collection in each the 2023 (received by Boston) and 2026 (received by Philly) playoffs.

4. Top 5 scorers of all-time collide

When two modern-day icons conflict, it’s a must-see recreation. That is the case when James and the Sixers go to Kevin Durant and the Rockets on Thanksgiving Weekend. It’s a matchup of two of the top-five scorers in NBA historical past: James enters the season No. 1 at 43,440 profession factors, whereas Durant enters at No. 5 with 32,597. That’s practically 76,000 factors between the 2 superstars, who’re assembly for the forty eighth time between the common season and playoffs. James holds a 27-20 edge in all-time head-to-head conferences.

5. An L.A. return on Christmas Day

After spending the previous eight seasons with the Lakers, James returns to Los Angeles for the primary time as a member of the Sixers — and he does so on Christmas Day. No participant has performed in additional video games (20) or scored extra factors (525) on the vacation than James, who will add to these data together with his twenty first Christmas Day look. There is one other piece of historical past that may be made on this matchup. After changing into the primary father-son duo to share the court docket as teammates with the Lakers, LeBron and Bronny James could be the primary father and son to face one another in an NBA recreation.

6. A birthday match for a King

James will have a good time his forty second birthday in Phoenix when the Sixers go to the Suns. Playing on his birthday is nothing new for James, who has averaged 31.5 factors, 6.8 rebounds, 6.6 assists, 1.3 steals and 1.0 blocks in 38.5 minutes per recreation over 11 video games performed on his birthday. James will change into solely the seventh participant to play an NBA recreation at age 42 or older, becoming a member of Dikembe Mutombo, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Kevin Willis, Robert Parish, Udonis Haslem and Vince Carter.

7. Return to Miami for AWS NBA Rivals Week

James returns to Miami — the place he performed 4 seasons, reached 4 NBA Finals and received two titles in 2012 and 2013 — for the primary time since becoming a member of the Sixers within the offseason. Similar to Cleveland, Miami was one other former group that James thought-about returning to as he contemplated his “final decision” in free company. This AWS NBA Rivals Week matchup would be the third assembly of the season between James and the Sixers and Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Heat, however the first one performed in South Beach.

8. LeBron vs. Steph, Chapter 57

This is one other icon vs. icon matchup as James and the Sixers go to Steph Curry and the Warriors for the primary of two conferences this season, each going down inside a single week. James and Curry have confronted one another in 56 complete video games between the common season (27; James leads 14-13), playoffs (28; Curry leads 17-11) and play-in (1; James leads 1-0). While there was buzz about James becoming a member of forces with Curry, Draymond Green and firm within the offseason, the ultimate resolution got here right down to Philly, Cleveland and Miami.

9. Three-time MVPs conflict in Denver

Only 9 gamers in NBA historical past have received at the least three Kia MVP awards. The solely two lively gamers on that record — James (2009, 2010, 2012 and 2013) and Nikola Jokić (2021, 2022 and 2024) — meet for the ultimate time within the common season on this Mile High City matchup. These two basketball savants every rank within the prime 5 on the all-time triple-doubles record getting into this season: Jokić second at 198, LeBron fifth at 125. Seeing these two masters at work towards each other is must-see TV.

10. LeBron’s regular-season finale

Philadelphia’s regular-season finale towards Charlotte has the potential to be James’ remaining regular-season recreation. While he signed a two-year cope with the Sixers, the second 12 months is a participant choice, which leaves the door open to a possible conclusion of one of many best careers within the historical past of all of sports activities.

When James introduced his resolution to hitch the Sixers, he stated he initially thought his remaining recreation with the Lakers — a loss to OKC within the Western Conference Semifinals — was going to be the top of the highway.

“I was pretty sure I played my last game. I was honest at that last press conference when I said I needed to look at myself and decide if I still love this game,” James wrote. “I still truly love this game, and I have more to give.”

Whether that is the final season or not, make sure you catch as many of those James video games as potential. We nearly definitely is not going to see a profession like this once more.