LeBron James’ goal in Philly is clear: ‘I didn’t leave my family to lose in the second round’

LeBron James grabbed and glanced at the name tag perched on a table, then quipped, “You guys know who I am, right?”

Those assembled inside the 76ers’ practice facility did, of course. James, one of the NBA’s all-time greats and a mainstream international celebrity, generally commands such hubbub. But the blue No. 23 jersey that James wore Monday amped that attention up even more. New teammate Tyrese Maxey even called seeing his friend and summer workout buddy’s new professional attire “really just weird.”

In James’ long-anticipated first day inside these walls — and first time speaking publicly since he chose the Sixers in a stunning free-agency move in July — the future Hall of Famer touched on needing to learn new streets and new people. The Northeast Ohio native mentioned getting reacclimated to weather in this part of the country, on the tail end of the weekend’s nor’easter storm. James acknowledged the outside noise surrounding the Sixers will be “doubled and tripped and quadrupled now that I’m here.”

» READ MORE: Yes, the Iverson-era black Sixers jerseys are back. Here’s what else LeBron James and Co. will be wearing.

Yet James reemphasized that his goal, in perhaps his last destination in a storied NBA career, is to seize the Sixers’ newfound super team status. The four-time champion hopes to provide the “blueprint” for the “collective sacrifice” and consistent work habits required to reach the NBA mountaintop, a feat the Sixers have not accomplished in more than four decades.

“Everyone wants, like, instant oatmeal,” James said at the Sixers’ media day ahead of the start of training camp. “You just put the oatmeal in the bowl, you put water in it, throw it in the microwave, and in a minute-and-a-half, you’ve got something to eat. You’re ready to go.

“If you want to do something special, it takes time. And it takes, every single day, doing things that you may not want to do. Because it’s the same thing, over and over and over and over and over, repetition after repetition after repetition. …

“That is the best way to expedite being great: You have to fall in love with doing things [that are] uncomfortable. And if we can do that, we can be a great team. If we don’t do that, then we’ll be like, ‘Oh, man, that was a great team on paper and we had a lot of great talent, and we lost in the second round.’”

When asked directly Monday if the 41-year-old James, who signed a two-year, $8 million contract with a player option, views Philly as his “final stop,” James did not fully commit. He said “that would be doing a disservice to myself on just living in the moment” entering Season 24.

James did give a brief recap of why he chose Philly in July, including agent Rich Paul’s infamous white board breaking down his contenders in a podcast episode. James reinforced that multiple conversations with Maxey, an All-NBA guard and fellow Klutch client, was “one of the main deciding factors” in him selecting the Sixers over previous teams the Cleveland Cavaliers and Miami Heat, among other suitors.

James hopes his vast experience — he is the NBA’s all-time leading scorer and a four-time league Most Valuable Player — can aid new teammates such as Joel Embiid, also a former MVP, and an organization with rich history seeking its first NBA title since 1983. James also still provides top-notch on-court production, basketball IQ, and versatility. He averaged 20.9 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 7.2 assists with the Los Angeles Lakers last season — and said he is willing to do “whatever the team needs for me to do.”

“I think the luxury of my game is I can do everything,” James said, candidly. “Literally, I can do everything.”

» READ MORE: Joel Embiid looks light, sounds optimistic about his new teammates and Sixers’ chances

Added Maxey: “He’s worked for everything he’s gotten. He was put on a pedestal [as a prospect] where a lot of guys don’t succeed, and he’s probably surpassed expectations.”

James’ illustrious career has included numerous trips to Philly, even dating back to a high school game played at The Palestra. He commended that the city’s passionate sports fans “know ball,” and that, as an opponent, he felt “a mutual respect … but we hate you.”

“I actually really love that,” James said. “I really thrive under that circumstance. … I’m happy to be on this side, though.”

During conversations and workouts in the weeks since choosing the Sixers, James said he has felt that the organization’s key figures are “on the same page.” Training camp opens Tuesday, ahead of an Oct. 20 opener at the defending champion New York Knicks.

James cautioned against expecting “instant oatmeal.” But his ultimate goal — for this newly assembled super team, and in perhaps his legendary career’s final chapter — was clear.

“I didn’t leave my family to lose in the second round,” James said. “I know that, for sure. Work needs to be done, and I’m ready to put the work in.”