LeBron James Draws Frustration Over Philadelphia 76ers Decision On Mind The Game

LeBron James finally explained why he picked the Philadelphia 76ers, but Brendon Kleen still wanted one more part of the story. The longtime NBA reporter questioned why James did not also explain what pushed Cleveland, Miami and Golden State out of the picture. James opened up about his choice during Friday's episode of Mind the Game with Steve Nash. He pointed to his relationships with Tyrese Maxey and Jaylen Brown, while Joel Embiid became another major reason behind his decision.

LeBron James Explains Why He Chose The Philadelphia 76ers

James said his relationship with Maxey goes beyond basketball and played a big role in his decision. He also praised Brown after Philadelphia acquired him. The biggest reason, though, was Embiid and James' desire to help the Sixers center win his first NBA championship.

“First of all, my relationship with Tyrese Maxey goes beyond the court,” James said. He later spoke about Embiid, saying, “He's done everything in our league, and the only thing he has not done is win a championship. And I want to try to help him get that first one.”

James also spoke highly of Philadelphia as a sports city. He described it as “The City of Champions” and said he sees the city's sports culture as another reason he wanted to be there. His explanation gave fans a much clearer look at what shaped his choice.

Brendon Kleen Wants More From LeBron James' Podcast

That explanation still left something missing for Kleen. Speaking on Awful Announcing's The Play-By-Play LIVE, he questioned why James did not openly discuss the reasons other teams were not the right fit.

“I just don't get why these players can't just say exactly what you just said,” Kleen said. He specifically wanted James to explain why a potential Cleveland reunion did not happen, rather than leaving fans to work through those roster questions themselves.

Cleveland, Miami and Golden State were among the teams linked with James before Philadelphia became his choice. NBA.com reported that the Cavaliers offered a homecoming option, while Golden State and Miami also presented different paths. James ultimately chose Philadelphia and signed a two-year, $8 million deal.

That is why the criticism is tied more to the podcast's style than simply James' decision. Mind the Game was created around detailed basketball conversations, and Kleen wanted that same level of detail applied to James' free-agency choice. For now, James has explained why Philadelphia won him over, but not every reason the other options fell away.