LeBron James Picks Philadelphia, Reconnecting With Longtime Acquaintance Mike Gansey
lebron-james-reunites-with-mike-gansey-76ers
The Philadelphia 76ers landed LeBron James on a two-year contract Friday, edging out offers from the Cavaliers, Heat and Warriors and reuniting the four-time MVP with newly appointed president of basketball operations Mike Gansey.
Gansey’s history with James dates back to 2001, when the Olmsted Falls High School guard averaged 27.2 points and finished runner-up to a sophomore named LeBron James in the Ohio Mr. Basketball vote. Two decades later, the pair crossed paths again in Cleveland’s front office during James’s second stint with the Cavaliers, where Gansey progressed from overseeing the G League affiliate in Canton to becoming assistant general manager in 2017.
After James departed for Los Angeles in 2018, Gansey climbed the executive ranks and was hired this offseason to run basketball operations in Philadelphia. One of his first major moves sent Paul George and draft assets to Boston for Jaylen Brown—a trade that, according to The Athletic, moved the Sixers from long-shot status to serious contender in James’s eyes.
Despite their shared background, Gansey reportedly avoided a hard sell. Managing partner Josh Harris also kept his pitch brief, speaking only in passing with James at Fanatics Fest. Instead, center Joel Embiid and guard Tyrese Maxey handled most of the direct recruiting, while former Warriors executive Bob Myers publicly highlighted the Sixers’ case on agent Rich Paul’s podcast.
James, now 41 and entering his 24th NBA season, ultimately chose a roster featuring Brown, Embiid, Maxey and rookie VJ Edgecombe as the best path to a fifth championship. The decision gives Philadelphia a player-executive reunion two and a half decades after Gansey finished second to James in a statewide high school vote.
Source: Hoops Wire
