LeBron James denies a 76ers hint after ‘trust the process’ comment
Tom Brady, LeBron, Jeter UNITE ar Fanatics Fest
FOX Business’ Madison Alworth breaks down the massive gathering of sports fans and athletes live from Fanatics Fest in New York City. CEO Lance Fensterman announced that megastars such as Serena Williams and David Beckham will attend. The festival expects 200,000 attendees over its four-day run, highlighting its significant growth since 2022.
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LeBron James didn’t announce his next team at Fanatics Fest on Thursday, but he’s sure to stir things up.
The NBA’s all-time leading scorer is a free agent and will play in an unprecedented 24th NBA season, but where he will go remains to be seen.
The common teams in the predicted match were Golden State Warriors, Miami Heat, Cleveland Cavaliers and Philadelphia 76ers. But during a live taping of his “Mind the Game” podcast with Indiana Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton at the event, James uttered a three-word phrase often associated with the secondary.
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LeBron James speaks on stage during The Shop Live panel at Fanatics Fest NYC 2026 at Jacob Javits Center on July 17, 2026 in New York City. (Roy Rochlin/Getty Images for fanatics)
“I want to join a franchise that shares my model of executing championship habits every day, but trusting the process above all else,” James said. “You actually trust the process-“
James was then interrupted by fan whistling, as “trust the process” has been the Sixers’ de facto motto for more than a decade.
“Stop, stop, stop,” Tyrese Haliburton interjected.
But James was adamant that this wasn’t an Easter egg.
LeBron James speaks onstage during the Mind the Game panel at Fanatics Fest NYC 2026 at Jacob Javits Center on July 16, 2026 in New York City. (Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Fanatics)
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“I’ve been saying ‘trust the process’ since I was drafted in 2003, and even before that [Joel] Embiid was born,” James responded.
James told fans he “won’t hold you back any longer.”
“This is a big decision, not just for me, but for my family. It’s not just about the team,” James insisted, adding a joke that his own son Bronny is now a former teammate.
“There are so many other factors that I take into account right now about what suits me best as a player, what suits me best as a person, what suits my happiness best, and also what suits my family.”
Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James stands on the court during the closing minutes of Game 4 of the second-round NBA playoff series against the Oklahoma City Thunder on May 11, 2026 in Los Angeles. (Mark J. Terrill/AP)
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While 41-year-old James helped the Lakers win the play-off series by averaging 20.9 points, 7.2 assists and 6.1 rebounds last season, Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves were recovering from their injuries.
OutKick’s Alejandro Avila contributed to this report.
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