👑 A fit for a King | Sports Daily Newsletter

For all we know, LeBron James hasn’t even put on a Sixers jersey yet. It’s been just over a month since he announced his plans to spend the final chapter of his career in Philly, but the city’s biggest superstar has yet to be introduced to his new fan base. At least officially.

The lack of a formal introduction hasn’t slowed the hype train surrounding the Sixers and especially James, whose decision to bring his talents to the City of Brotherly Love shocked the basketball world and fired up the fan base. The four-time MVP quickly surpassed Shohei Ohtani for the most jerseys sold by an athlete who had just changed teams, according to Fanatics. And as they began flying of the shelves, both virtually and in real life, there were even unfounded rumors of ravenous fans stealing them.

But, like trying to find a Cabbage Patch doll — or a Tickle Me Elmo or, god forbid, a Turbo Man action figure — on Christmas Eve, fans were running out of options both online and in-person. So on Tuesday, the Sixers opened their team store at Xfinity Mobile Arena, which is typically open only on game days, and offered up a fresh batch of merchandise ahead of the upcoming season … including blue-and-red LeBron jerseys. The store will be open again today.

Unsurprisingly, fans were lined up before the doors open to get their hands on the season’s hottest gear. And when they got inside, they were greeted by a party atmosphere — one they hope continues all the way to down Broad Street next spring.

— Matt Mullin, @phillysport, sports.daily@inquirer.com.

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Marcus Epps knows you’re not guaranteed tomorrow in the NFL. The 29-year-old Eagles safety was forced to ponder the finish line just a year ago, when the Patriots cut him months after ACL surgery prematurely ended his 2024 season with the Raiders.

But the Eagles, for whom Epps had played from 2019-22, threw him a lifeline to rejoin the team via the practice squad. Injuries eventually landed him a starting job, and Epps enters 2026 as the probable starter at safety. It’s an improbable journey he’s thankful for.

“I’m just grateful,” Epps said earlier this week. ”I don’t take any day for granted, and I’m truly blessed to be here, right where I want to be. I’m just trying to keep my head down and grinding every day.”

As the Eagles, who held their only open practice at the Linc on Tuesday night, approach their third and final preseason game on Friday, we take a closer look at Epps’ focus.

As the Phillies, who lost their second straight against the Mariners, attempt to cement a wild-card spot and close in on the division-leading Braves, the bullpen is coming into focus again, with relievers jockeying for position behind closer Jhoan Duran in interim manager Don Mattingly’s circle of trust.

Here’s what we know: Raley is earning more late-inning chances after being acquired in a deadline trade with the rival Mets. But hard-throwing rookie Alex McFarlane isn’t quite there yet.

Next: The Phillies wrap up their series in Seattle at 4:10 p.m. today (NBCSP). Jesús Luzardo (11-5, 3.35 ERA) will start against Mariners right-hander Bryan Woo (9-8, 4.10).

Penn senior Esha Velaga is going to be a doctor. Last week, she took her MCATs and has plans to pursue a career in the medical field. But this week? She was a professional tennis player.

Two days after sitting the MCAT, Velaga took the court at Penn’s Hamlin Tennis Center, which this week is hosting the Ennoble Care Philly Open, a WTA 125 event and the circuit’s first event in the city in two decades. And while she lost her qualifying match — in front of a packed crowd of Quaker teammates, coaches, and friends cheering her on — she got a second chance the next day with doubles partner Lara Stojanovski.

That match also ended in defeat, but both players believe the experience will pay dividends for the entire team, as Penn players served as hitting partners for the numerous professionals in town for the tournament.

“We can compete here, even though we haven’t been doing professional-level training,” Velaga said. “I think we’ll definitely use the momentum and the good energy as well, and bring it into our very high-energy college season, and just know that no matter what team we compete against, we always have a chance, and we’re in it.”

Maybe the best thing that can happen to college sports’ integrity is everything that is happening to its integrity right now. It would be ironic, in a way. The NCAA is more than a decade into a series of logical premises and conclusions that was always going to lead power conferences like the SEC and Big Ten to where they are right now, columnist David Murphy writes.

This third-year Eagles player is having a standout camp, but he recently rejected the idea that he was in store for a “breakout” year — not because of his play, but because he doesn’t like that term for any player. (Hint: It’s not one of the players in the picture.) Check your answer here.

We asked: Which Flyers team went on a 35-game unbeaten streak?

Answer: D: 1979-80. Comprised of a collective of veteran minor-leaguers, top prospects, and a few faces from the franchise’s 1974-75 Stanley Cup champion team, the 1979-80 Flyers had a 35-game unbeaten streak and headed into the NHL Playoffs that year on a high, before losing it all in Game 6 of the Stanley Cup finals.

We compiled today’s newsletter using reporting from Mia Messina, Jeff Neiburg, David Gambacorta, Gabriela Carroll, Ariel Simpson, Conor Smith, Devin Jackson, Scott Lauber, Jeff McLane, David Murphy, and Olivia Reiner.

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Thanks for staying up to date with Philly sports. We’ll return for Thursday’s newsletter. — Matt