LeBron James appeared to rile up the Philadelphia 76ers’ fan base during his final appearance at Fanatics Fest on Friday.
While James still has yet to announce his free-agency decision to the world, he appeared to tease at least one of his suitors when asked about the factors he’s weighing.
“Most important is, I want to compete,” James said, according to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin. “I want to compete at a high level. I want to join a franchise that kind of shares the same motto as myself and that’s practicing championship habits every day, but trusting the process more than anything.”
The crowd elicited a mix of cheers and boos after James said “trust the process,” a term employed by former Sixers president and general manager Sam Hinkie during the franchise’s rebuilding years of the last decade. Big man Joel Embiid has also taken on the self-appointed nickname “the Process.”
James was bewildered by the strong reaction to his use of the phrase, claiming that he’s been referencing the mantra throughout his career.
“I’ve been saying, ‘Trust the process’ since I was drafted in, like, 2003,” James said. “I don’t know if Embiid was even born yet.”
In addition to Philadelphia, the NBA’s all-time leading scorer has been connected to the Cleveland Cavaliers, Miami Heat, Denver Nuggets, Golden State Warriors, and Minnesota Timberwolves during the free-agency cycle.
James hinted Thursday that he won’t take “too much longer” to make a decision on his next team.
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