Natural Disaster Strikes LeBron James’ New Teammate as 76ers Journey Begins With a Nightmare
Imago
Credits: Imago
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope signed with the Philadelphia 76ers to play with LeBron James again. The basketball reunion was supposed to be the story. Instead, the first scene in the new city was water pouring through a penthouse ceiling.
After McKenzie Caldwell-Pope signed the lease, she heard what she called the loudest bang of her life. They were on the top floor. Then debris and water started leaking through the ceiling.
“Everyone just starts screaming and we’re like we have to get out of here,” she said on TikTok via Hoops Alert. She described two to three inches of water before they could leave. The strike knocked out the elevators. She went down 14 flights of stairs. Movers were stuck. Fire alarms kept running.
Hours later, an electrician confirmed what people in the building doubted. The unit had been struck by lightning. He told them there was a 1 in 400 million chance of a unit getting hit the way theirs was.
Caldwell-Pope is in Philadelphia because James is in Philadelphia. They won together with the Lakers in 2020. KCP also won in Denver in 2023, then spent last season in Memphis before a pinkie injury shut him down.
The Sixers added him as veteran wing depth next to James, Tyrese Maxey, Joel Embiid, Jaylen Brown and VJ Edgecombe. His presence in the roster is meant to bring experience and shooting.
Sadly, the off-court start was a flooded penthouse.
LeBron James’ New 76ers Teammate Walked Into Philadelphia and Got Hit by Lightning
A penthouse is supposed to be the safest kind of arrival. Height made this one worse. Lightning hits the top of a building. Water followed the strike into the unit they had occupied for minutes, not weeks.
McKenzie’s video showed unpacked boxes and water that was not coming from sprinklers. Luckily, nobody was hurt. Unfortunately, the lease was already signed.
For James, the basketball calendar is about fitting into a crowded offense. For his new teammate, the calendar started with an evacuation.
The 76ers’ summer has been defined by star gathering. This was the first reminder that the move to Philadelphia is also a real relocation, with keys, leases, and the weather that does not care about a roster reveal.
Ubong Archibong is an NBA writer at BasketballNews, bringing over two years of experience in basketball coverage. Having previously worked with BasketballNews, Sportskeeda and FirstSportz, he has developed a strong foundation in delivering timely and engaging content around the league. His coverage focuses on game analysis, player performances, and evolving narratives across the National Basketball Association. Blending statistical insight with storytelling, Ubong aims to go beyond the immediate headline by placing performances and moments within a broader context, helping readers better understand the dynamics shaping the game. His work prioritizes clarity, accessibility, and a fan-first approach that connects audiences to both the action and the personalities behind it. Before joining BasketballNews, Ubong covered the NBA and WNBA across multiple platforms, building experience in fast-paced reporting and deadline-driven publishing. His background in content writing has strengthened his ability to balance speed with accuracy, ensuring consistent and reliable coverage for a global audience.
Know moreSiddid Purkayastha