2026 Philadelphia 76ers Media Day Live Updates, Top Quotes and Reactions

"In order for us to be great, we have to do things that just aren't comfortable," LeBron James said during his time at the podium. "We have to be comfortable with being uncomfortable."

As we wrap up here, this is the single most important takeaway from the Sixers' media day. Boiling this team's fit down to "There's only one ball" is beyond reductive, but the roster's makeup will require just about everyone to reimagine their wheelhouse.

Touches and scoring will be the focal point. Is everyone in the starting five prepared for their averages to dip? Will they be committed to getting out in transition even if they're not guaranteed to get the ball? Can they defend their butt off regardless of what's happening on offense?

To their credit, the Sixers didn't shy away from this subject. Everyone, at every turn, said the right things. But there's a reason we the NBA plays the games.

Chemistry isn't built on paper. Or through media day-speak. It happens on the court, in both practice and games, over time. The Sixers are at the beginning of yet another process. It's arguably their most promising one of all—provided they, as LeBron says, are ready and willing to wade through the discomfort that awaits them.

LeBron James made it clear during his time at the podium that he's excited to experience affection from Philly fans. He also expressed nostalgia for the boo-birds.

With the importance of adaptation taking center stage at the Sixers' media, perhaps the team should consider planting a few hundred LeBron haters in the stands for each game at Xfininity Mobile Arena.

You know, just to make sure he's operating in his comfort zone.

We basically already knew this, but LeBron James confirmed to ESPN's Dave McMenamin that he would have sought to join the New York Knicks had they never won the NBA Finals.

This must be couched with a dozen micro-caveats. Would LeBron have really signed with New York if it lost in the Finals? Would they have needed to lose in the Eastern Conference Finals? Or earlier?

Regardless, would the Sixers getting Jaylen Brown have compelled him to land in Philly no matter what? Could LeBron's infatuation with Tyrese Maxey have directed him to South Broad Street even if the Knicks weren't coming off a title?

We'll never know. Not for sure. And relative to how things played out, that's "alright, alright, alright" with the Sixers.

Kentavious Caldwell-Pope's arrival flew under the radar amid the Sixers' flurry of other activity. And also because his shooting fell off a cliff the past two seasons. But there's a real chance for him to make a difference.

Entering his age-33 season, KCP isn't exactly ancient. He's also well-rested. He didn't have to play a single game after the All-Star break last year.

The shooting splits are a red flag. He hit just 33.3 percent of his triples the last two seasons, splitting time with the Orlando Magic and Memphis Grizzlies. Yet, his defense in Orlando was pretty good, and he knocked down 44 percent of his triples that season after the All-Star break.

Going from the Magic's cramped offense and the Grizzlies' injury-riddled, science-experiment roster to catching passes from LeBron James and Tyrese Maxey might pave the way for a return-to-form campaign.

VJ Edgecombe is apparently 21 going on 32.

Seeking out communication with teammates. Emphasizing defense. Showing Labaron Philon Jr. the ropes. This is a sophomore showing the ability, and willingness, to ferry a veteran's workload.

If this team takes off, I'm starting to believe it'll be thanks to work Edgbecombe is putting in behind the scenes.

Does anyone know how long it'll take before seeing Jaylen Brown, LeBron James, Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe on the same team, in the same uniforms, will stop looking and feeling both weird and surreal?

It certainly won't be today. Probably not tomorrow, either. Maybe by Christmas?

Anfernee Simons said the not-so-quiet part even louder than most. The success of this Sixers team will be defined by "sacrifice."

It doesn't just apply to the starters, though the balance struck between that fivesome will be the main attraction. Simons himself will need to punt on minutes and get used to the idea of closing fewer games. Everybody in the top six or so of this depth chart will have to reallocate parts of their usage, if not take fewer shots.

Time will tell whether it all works out. But the early signs are positive. It would be tough to feel great about this team if everybody was downplaying the importance of sacrifice. Confronting it head-on was and remains the correct move.

Anfernee Simons sure seems to think the Sixers got excellent value out of the No. 22 pick by taking Labaron Philon Jr. His facial expressions when asked about the rookie guard said it all, as did his use of the word "great."

Whether Philon gets most of his run with the Delaware Blue Coats or Sixers themselves will be a matter of course. Philly's veteran-soaked depth chart points toward the G-League, but Philon's on- and off-ball touch makes him extremely plug-and-play.

Take that, data points that ranked Jaylen Brown as the seventh-best player on the Boston Celtics.

Keeping in theme with the Sixers expecting Brown to be a defensive monster, Anfernee Simons went on to note all the tough assignments he's seen his new teammate tackle over the years. Suffice it to say, the vibes in Philly are immaculate.

Adem Bona's update on his left foot sprain was mostly upbeat. Nobody provided a concrete timeline for when he'll be 100 percent, but he at least dropped the obligatory "the treatment has been going well" and "I am feeling good" sentiments.

The 23-year-old's recovery will be a valuable, if slightly discomfiting, gauge of how deep the Sixers are at center. Joel Embiid is going to miss time at some point, and if Bona remains banged up, Philly by default becomes more dependent on Ariel Hukporti and lineups with Dominick Barlow in the middle.

Dominick Barlow suggests that having himself, LeBron James, Jaylen Brown and Dean Wade will let the the Sixers switch while still playing with size.

The point is well-taken—and hardly incorrect.

Philly will probably need to pick and choose those spots given LeBron's age and more recent defensive performances. But with Barlow already having center reps under his belt, this is valuable food for thought. Especially on the nights in which Joel Embiid may be in foul trouble or unavailable.

To catch lobs, not feelings.

Dean Wade basking in the bigger-wing and bigger-forward assignments is excellent news for LeBron James.

It does, however, put more pressure on VJ Edgecombe and Jaylen Brown to be ready for reps on point-of-attack guards. That was always going to be the case, but how head coach Nick Nurse structures his bench-heavier lineups will be something to monitor.

"It wasn't a dream. It really happened."

-Charles Barkley in Space Jam

Twenty-one-year-old VJ Edgecombe being the Sixers starter pushing for group-chat communication is honestly impressive. That's a veteran move.

Gen Z: 1; Gen Z Skeptics: 0.

LeBron James explained how sacrificing touches can lead to having more energy for defense, for offensive rebounds, for getting out in transition, etc.

This is a very adult-in-the-room framing—which, to be sure, is exactly what the Sixers need. Let's just see whether this all-for-one, one-for-all mindset holds up on the court.

BREAKING: VJ Edgecombe gets pedicures.

Your move, Jared McCain.

Go ahead and add VJ Edgecombe to the list of Sixers players who aren't worried about their games complementing one another.

The sophomore has spent a lot of time talking about defense. He said he wants to get better "on the ball, and off the ball." Sources tell B/R those are, in fact, the two options.

Typical media-day caveats apply, but this shows a level of self-awareness that feels atypical for a 21-year-old looking to entrench himself as a star. (Yes, I'm drinking the Sixers Kool-Aid.)

...Anfernee Simons.

That's what Jabari Walker thinks, at least. He might not be wrong.

Apart from the defensive questions facing this roster, the Sixers aren't exactly inundated with deadeye floor-spacers. Simons has generally graded out as a supremely above-average scorer on "spacing "attempts. His off-ball gravity should prove integral, particularly during stretches in which Tyrese Maxey is off the floor.

So, uh, I guess it's safe to say Jaylen Brown doesn't think the Sixers' collection of ball-dominant marquee names necessitates a concrete hierarchy?

Taking Brown's dismissal of this question as the answer itself is fair. Viewed through that lens, it's what the Sixers and their fans want to hear.

Still, no matter how much they downplay its significance, it'll be fascinating to see who emerges as the go-to option in crunch time.

"Sacrifice" is a big theme floating around the Sixers' media day. Jaylen Brown keeps it going.

In addition to his championship-experience deference to LeBron James and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, he confirmed that he wants to be known as a defensive stopper.

Again: Everything is always rosier during media days. But Brown's willingness to concede was a divisive subject among talking heads and blogpeople following last season. The tenor he strikes here is, if nothing else, encouraging.

This is another one for the "Don't worry about VJ Edgecombe's development" files.

LeBron James, Joel Embiid and now Tyrese Maxey have all made it point to hype up the 21-year-old. We have to see how it all plays out on the floor, but so far, the Sixers are doing a bang-up job of undermining the belief their sophomore will get lost in the star-stacked shuffle.

Well, this is one less thing Pablo Torre needs to find out.

It took Tyrese Maxey under 30 seconds into his availability to mention how this roster will allow him to get out in transition, play off the ball, "get some hand-offs" and all that jazz.

Anybody else ready to follow him into hell and back?

When the Sixers' best player is not only this adaptable, but also embracing the near-constant adjustments, it's hard to be anything other than optimistic.

Philly will no doubt have plenty of wrinkles to iron out. But Maxey is the most important player in the building. If he is willing to scale down when it's needed, you have to assume everyone else will, too.

There's already been a lot of talk during the Sixers' media day about players being on the same page. Joel Embiid has added another layer to that.

While this is a basic sentiment, it's an important one. Almost every formation of this magnitude takes time to polish. Given some overlapping skill sets and inevitable rest/absences from Embiid himself, the Sixers could take longer to jell than the talent on their roster suggests.

Patience and open-mindedness will be key. You might even say this team's trek toward its collective peak will be a...process.

Entering his age-32 season, Joel Embiid has played in just 96 games over the past three years. And he has never been healthy for an entire playoff run.

Even with the additions of LeBron James and Jaylen Brown, the Sixers' postseason fortunes won't turn until or unless Embiid's own do. It sounds like Philly has a new load-management plan in place to try making that happen.

This approach presumably includes holding him out on one end of back-to-backs. Will it also include lowering his minutes per game? And more rest nights sprinkled in throughout the year? We'll have to wait and see.

Draymond Green previously called VJ Edgecombe the biggest loser of the Sixers' offseason. Games are only played with one ball, and both LeBron James and Jaylen Brown will, in theory, siphon touches away from Philly's young wing.

Neither LeBron nor the Sixers seem particularly worried. And frankly, they shouldn't be.

Edgecombe showed last season he could attack in transition and play effectively off both Tyrese Maxey and Joel Embiid. There might be an adjustment period, but he never profiled as someone who needs the ball.

Talk about a powerful way to end your media-day availability.

Philly hasn't made it out of the second round since 2001, when Allen Iverson led the squad to the NBA Finals. LeBron doesn't sound like someone merely itching to end that drought. He appears to expect it.

The pressure on these Sixers was already high. This quote, as well as the context of LeBron leaving his family to play in Philly, only cranks up the urgency.

It turns out Rich Paul's whiteboard of potential LeBron James destinations wasn't strictly a podcast gimmick.

Well, not entirely.

LeBron said he had roughly five squads on his list. Paul essentially went through all 30 teams. Regardless, the Sixers beating out a field of presumably five total contenders counts as a feather in their cap. Especially Tyrese Maxey's cap.

LeBron James is entering Year 24. He turns 42 in December. He signed a one-plus-one deal with the Sixers over the offseason.

Naturally, people are wondering whether this is the last contract and final stop of his career. And understandably, LeBron doesn't seem to know.

This is the good kind of uncertainty. None of us should want LeBron to retire. He's never given "I'll keep playing after the wheels fall off" vibes. So if he's still playing, it means he's still good.

This looks cool. And a little weird. But mostly cool.

LeBron is currently talking a lot about shape-shifting his role to adapt around the rest of the team and the limited shelf life he has left in the league. Stay tuned for more!

Anyone who was worried about Joel Embiid's mobility, particularly on the defensive end, can breathe a sigh of relief. At least for now.

He is looking svelte.

Related: This isn't quite #MuscleWatch, so we need a name for it. Perhaps #GLP1Watch? Or #BodiesByBron?

Scores of media members have descended upon Philadelphia to ask about the arrival of none other than Ariel Hukporti.

But seriously: LeBron James didn't have an intro presser after joining the Sixers. Between his and Jaylen Brown's additions, coupled with earnest questions about the starting-five pecking order and Joel Embiid's health, Philly's media day was always going to be a madhouse.

It's apparently living up to expectations—and hasn't even started yet!

Twenty-one players are cracking the 76ers' training-camp docket, including the two-way contracts of Rayan Rupert and Caleb Love.

At the moment, it doesn't look like anyone will be competing for more than Philly's third and final two-way spot. Though the Sixers technically have a standard roster spot available, they are hard-capped at the first apron and don't have the room beneath it to offer more than a rookie minimum.

Rather than sign someone without any NBA experience, the front office will probably keep the 15th and final roster spot open to optimize midseason flexibility.

You are not dreaming. The Sixers appear to be really, actually bringing back the Allen Iverson-era threads that should always be heavy in the rotation.

There is also a black-and-red tie-dye splatter version in their 2026-27 catalog. It's two parts fun to look at; one part "Are we watching an All-Star game?" knockoff.

For those who celebrate, the Sixers also appear to have a new uniform sponsor. Rest in purgatory, Crypto.com jersey patch.