LeBron James Pickup Video Stirs Debate as 76ers Season Nears
The short version
- A one-minute viral clip showed James missing jumpers in an open run; the full video showed him 11-for-19
- James, 41, is entering his 24th NBA season after signing a two-year, $8 million deal with the 76ers in July 2026
- The 76ers open at the Knicks on October 20, 2026; James's home debut is October 22 against Cleveland
- His free agency generated over $273 million in prediction market volume, with traders heavily favoring Miami
- James signed an individual Polymarket partnership on September 5, 2026, drawing fan criticism
Clips from a September open run at Crespi Carmelite High School split fans over LeBron James's form ahead of his first season with Philadelphia.
LeBron James found himself at the center of an online argument on September 22, 2026, after a brief video circulated showing him misfiring on jumpers during an open run at Crespi Carmelite High School in Los Angeles. The edit was drawn from a much longer workout that also included NBA players DeMar DeRozan, Jalen Johnson, and Jaren Jackson Jr.
The short clip, roughly a minute long, spread on X, while the original YouTube upload ran past an hour. Reports based on the full recording said James made 11 of his 19 shot attempts, meaning the viral edit captured only a cold stretch. The contrast between the two versions fueled the September 22 debate.
A second clip emerged hours later showing James making jumpers in the same session, carrying a caption that described him as dominating the run. Viewers noted the players wore identical clothing across both clips, confirming the footage came from a single hour-long session held earlier in September at the Encino, California, campus. Complex had reposted a clip from the workout on TikTok a couple of weeks earlier, and the full video reached YouTube the night before the September 22 reports. DeAndre Jordan and Atlanta Hawks rookie Kingston Flemings also participated.
Fans drew opposite conclusions about James heading into his 24th NBA campaign. His backers cited the complete footage and the 11-for-19 mark, calling the viral edit misleading, while critics used the misses to question whether age was catching up with him.
James is 41 and begins the season as the league's all-time leading scorer, a mark he set in February 2023 as a Laker. He has four championships and four Finals MVP awards from time with Cleveland, Miami, and Los Angeles. In July 2026, after eight seasons with the Lakers, he joined the 76ers on a two-year, $8 million deal containing a player option.
Philadelphia also traded for Jaylen Brown during the offseason while keeping Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, and VJ Edgecombe in the core. The franchise has not claimed a title since 1983. Mike Gansey, who became president of basketball operations in June 2026, oversaw his first offseason in the role.
The 76ers open the 2026-27 season on October 20, 2026, at Madison Square Garden against the defending champion New York Knicks in the second game of opening-day tripleheader action. James makes his Philadelphia home debut two nights later, October 22, against the Cleveland Cavaliers. The team visits the Lakers on Christmas Day, James's first trip back to Los Angeles since leaving.
James's free agency drew more than $273 million in prediction market trading volume before he chose Philadelphia, per Legal Sports Report — more than any single basketball game. Traders largely guessed wrong: the Heat sat near 45% implied odds and the 76ers around 9% just before the July announcement. Front Office Sports reported nearly $226 million traded on Kalshi alone.
On September 5, 2026, James became the first NBA player to sign an individual partnership with prediction platform Polymarket, teasing it in a 14-second video on X and Instagram. The campaign centers on football because active NBA players face restrictions on NBA picks and commentary, and it followed the expiration of his DraftKings ambassador deal, which began in 2024. The announcement drew fan criticism on social media, including a widely shared Instagram comment with about 4,500 likes, with detractors citing Polymarket's legal troubles — roughly 20 states have sued or joined lawsuits alleging unlicensed sports betting, which the company denies.
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