LeBron James and Jaylen Brown are set to become teammates on the Philadelphia 76ers, a partnership complicated by past remarks Brown made about James' son, Bronny.
James agreed to join the 76ers, teaming up with Brown, Joel Embiid, and Tyrese Maxey in what could be a final title pursuit of his career. Brown celebrated the signing on social media, posting "#throwtheballup."
However, before they can fully unite on the court, the two stars may need to address Brown's previous comments regarding Bronny James. Earlier this year, when asked about his relationship with Brown, James described it as respectful, with one exception: "Besides the s— he said about Bronny at Summer League... Other than that, we’ve been alright."
The comment referred to a widely shared clip from the 2024 Las Vegas Summer League, where Brown appeared to state, "I don’t think Bronny is a pro." Brown later addressed the situation on X without directly confirming the interpretation, writing, "It’s a flex to have your son alongside you in the NBA. Bronny has all the tools around him to be successful. I look forward to watching his growth."
James indicated he had accepted that explanation, humorously stating the two would "be alright" and acknowledging that Bronny still had development ahead of him.
Despite this past friction, James had previously praised Brown's performance, suggesting he deserved greater MVP consideration for his role in leading the Boston Celtics through roster changes. Brown called James' praise an honor.
The Philadelphia 76ers acquired Brown prior to James' decision, and his presence reportedly contributed to the team becoming a more attractive destination for the veteran superstar. Brown was also among the players who communicated with James during his free agency period.
With James publicly revealing he had not forgotten Brown's remark about Bronny, their upcoming time as teammates in Philadelphia will bring this past issue into their shared locker room.