LeBron James Drops 'Trust the Process' in Video While Discussing NBA Free Agency Amid 76ers Rumors
LeBron James got fans buzzing Friday when he used a catchphrase associated with the Philadelphia 76ers while discussing his impending NBA free agency decision.
Speaking during a live episode of The Shop at Fanatics Fest in New York City, James said, "What's most important is I want to compete, 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, like, practicing championship happens every day. But trusting the process more than anything."
"Trust the process" became synonymous with the 76ers in about 2013 during their rebuild, and "The Process" later became one of the nicknames of star center Joel Embiid.
When LeBron's co-hosts informed him that the huge crowd reaction to him using the term was due to its link to the Sixers, James responded by saying, "I've been saying, 'Trust the process,' since I was drafted in like 2003. I don't even know if Embiid was even born yet."
Since informing the Los Angeles Lakers last month that he plans to play elsewhere next season, James has been at the center of constant rumors.
During a live taping of his Mind the Game podcast (h/t ESPN's Dave McMenamin) at Fanatics Fest on Thursday, James noted that he wasn't ready to announce his next destination yet, but added, "I won't hold you guys up too much longer."
LeBron reiterated on Friday that he still didn't have an announcement to make quite yet:
During an appearance this week on NBA Today, ESPN NBA insider Shams Charania provided some insight into which teams are believed to have a realistic shot at signing James:
Charania noted that although the Golden State Warriors and Minnesota Timberwolves remain in the mix, the 76ers, Cleveland Cavaliers and Miami Heat are currently LeBron's "focus."
The Sixers seemed to surge into top contender territory on July 1 when they shockingly acquired five-time All-Star Jaylen Brown in a trade that sent Paul George and draft picks to the Boston Celtics.
With Brown's arrival, the Sixers now have one of the most talented cores in the league, as he will join forces with a one-time NBA MVP in Embiid, a two-time All-Star in Tyrese Maxey and the No. 3 overall pick in the 2025 NBA draft in VJ Edgecombe.
An argument can be made that the 76ers give the 41-year-old James the best opportunity to pursue a fifth career championship in his 24th NBA season, which is likely why they are viewed as a strong candidate to sign him.
However, James previously won championships with the Cavs and Heat, so they can't be discounted as potential landing spots either.
