“I Shot My Shot”: Pennsylvania Governor Reveals His Secret Pitch to LeBron James Before His Decision To Join the 76ers

LeBron James is set to make his debut with the Philadelphia 76ers come the 2026-27 season. Last Friday, James shocked the world when he announced that he was joining the 76ers. What's even more surprising is the pay cut he took to make his arrival in Philly happen. James agreed to a two-year deal worth $8 million, approximately $42 million less than his initial asking price.

Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro might've played a huge role in convincing the King. In a recent interview with sports analyst Stephen A. Smith, Shapiro revealed how he had an opportunity to talk to LeBron over dinner, just several days before he decided to sign with the 76ers.

"Let me just say, LeBron James was the only one that was going to make this decision," Shapiro said. "I will say, when I saw LeBron James at a dinner (several days before his Friday announcement), I shot my shot. I told him how Philly would love to have him. He could win a championship here. This would be a great place for him to bring his talents. ... I'm damn glad he chose Philly."

The encounter happened at a private New York club (ZZ’s) where Shapiro was dining with Bill and Hillary Clinton; LeBron, in town for Fanatics Fest, stopped by and Shapiro seized the moment to pitch the Sixers.

Circling back to Shapiro's prediction that James could win a championship with the 76ers, it's definitely possible. LeBron is set to form a superteam with Jaylen Brown, Joel Embiid, and Tyrese Maxey, three of the brightest young stars in the league today.

Brown and Maxey are two of the most prolific scorers in the league. Last season, Brown averaged 28.7 points per game, while Maxey had 28.3 points per game.

During James' last year with the Los Angeles Lakers, he's proven he's open to taking a back seat and letting the younger stars handle scoring.

In 2025-26, the 41-year-old averaged 20.9 points per game (his lowest in years) but still posted 7.2 assists and 6.1 rebounds while shooting 51.5% from the field across 60 games, showing his willingness to facilitate.

With talents like Brown and Tyrese Maxey alongside him, LeBron won't have to shoulder the offensive burden. Instead, he can focus on orchestrating the offense, using his elite playmaking to elevate the players around him while picking his spots as a scorer.

Then there's Joel Embiid, a dominant two-way big man who can anchor the defense while carrying a significant scoring load. In many ways, Embiid fills a role similar to the one Anthony Davis played alongside James in Los Angeles. Having already won a championship with Davis in 2020, LeBron has a proven blueprint for thriving next to an elite, versatile center like Embiid.

Comedian Icon Personally Welcomes LeBron James to Philadelphia

Philadelphia fans are now getting excited to see LeBron James suit up in a 76ers uniform. His move to Philly was on no one's bingo card, despite the Sixers being one of the five teams in the LeBron sweepstakes.

While James is entering unknown territory, one of the prominent locals is already trying to make him feel welcome. Iconic comedian Kevin Hart uploaded a video of himself playing golf with LeBron on Wednesday. While enjoying each other's company, Hart humorously welcomed the King to his hometown.

"Preparing Bron for Philly," Hart said to the camera before he directly spoke to James. "At the end of the day, man, you gonna be who you gonna be. Do you, you know what I mean? ... I'll see you on Bron street."

NBA opening night is scheduled to air on Oct. 20. While the NBA Commissioner hasn't finalized the schedule yet, we'll likely see James compete as a Sixer on that day, especially since Adam Silver specifically waited for him to make his free agency decision.