Editor's note: Get live updates on LeBron James joining the Philadelphia 76ers here.LeBron James made his final decision on his playing career, announcing he will spend his pre-retirement years with the Philadelphia 76ers, who haven't won an NBA championship since 1983.The only speculation left for the 41-year-old James is what jersey number he will wear. The NBA's all-time leading scorer has only worn the No. 23 and No. 6 during his entire 23-year career. At the time of his announcement that he was joining the Sixers, the No. 23 was available, as the player who wore that number last season, guard Tyrese Martin, signed a one-year contract with FC Barcelona. Martin only spent nine games with Philadelphia after signing a two-way contract with the team in February.LeBron James career jersey number timeline2003-10: No. 23After being the No. 1 pick of the 2003 NBA Draft by the Cleveland Cavaliers, James stuck with the No. 23 he had worn during his high school career. He spent eight seasons with the Cavaliers before his first free agent decision. 2010-14: No. 6When James made his televised debacle, better known as "The Decision," he and his cohorts, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh, who were waiting for his talents to come to South Beach, made some bold predictions during their welcome rally. James said they would win "not 4, not 5, not 6" championships duringhis stint in Miami. But the only six that James would see would be his jersey number. He did win two championships in four seasons before departing.2014-21: No. 23James returned to Cleveland, making his announcement in a first-person essay in Sports Illustrated. James also returned to his familiar No. 23 and made good on coming back home during his second stint there by delivering Cleveland their first NBA championship with an epic Finals comeback against the Golden State Warriors in 2016.2021-23: No. 6James signed a four-year, $153.3 million free agent deal with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2018 and didn't make the switch back to No. 6 until the 2021 season. That jersey decision was short-lived as he went back to No. 23 in 2023. James did help deliver the Lakers another championship in 2020 during the pandemic bubble playoffs in Florida. 2023-26: No. 23In the last three seasons, James wore No. 23, as the No. 6 is retired league-wide in honor of Boston Celtics legend Bill Russell. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: What jersey will LeBron James wear with 76ers? King James' jersey timeline

LeBron James's shocking decision to sign with the Philadelphia 76ers may reshape the Eastern Conference even further.The Detroit Pistons were the No. 1 seed in the East in 2025-26, and though they made a bunch of trades this offseason, the Sixers are among several teams who have taken bigger swings and will threaten the Pistons' contending status.Here's a quick look at the loaded in East, one month into the offseason and three months before the NBA 2026-27 season.[ Trajan Langdon's underwhelming offseason with Pistons is big gamble for good reason ]NBA power rankings in Eastern Conference1. New York KnicksThe defending champions lost their top rim protector, Mitchell Robinson to the Boston Celtics and replaced him with former Pistons star Andre Drummond. Otherwise, their roster remains intact and they're well-positioned for a second Finals run.2. Philadelphia 76ersLos Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James and Philadelphia 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey react with each other after the game won by the Lakers at Xfinity Mobile Arena, Dec. 7, 2025 in Philadelphia.Jaylen Brown's trade from Boston to Philadelphia propelled the Sixers to contending status. LeBron James' surprising decision to sign a two-year deal with them secures their superteam status, with Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecomb solidifying the most formidable starting lineup in the conference.3. Detroit PistonsIt has been a quieter offseason than some hoped for, but the Pistons made meaningful additions. Isaiah Joe, Taurean Prince and Gary Harris are good-to-elite shooters and upgrade the team's spacing, which too often was cramped last season. John Collins provides both outside shooting and above-the-rim finishing at the four.They will have to adjust to life without Tobias Harris and Isaiah Stewart, but continued growth from Cade Cunningham, Ausar Thompson and Jalen Duren (who remains in a contract standoff with the organization) will keep the Pistons among the top of the East.4. Cleveland CavaliersThe team that eliminated the Pistons from the playoffs lost its best Cunningham defender, Dean Wade, to the Sixers. Assuming James Harden re-signs, their fortunes will depend on if the aging star, who turns 37 in August, can stay healthy and continue performing at a high level.5. Boston CelticsIt remains to be seen how they'll look after trading Brown, but this is still a balanced team with a perennial MVP candidate in Jayson Tatum, who will be more than a year removed from an Achilles tear that caused him to miss 66 games last season.ANALYSIS: Pistons have something to prove in tougher East after summer of change6. Miami HeatGiannis Antetokounmpo is the latest late-career superstar to move to Miami in pursuit of a championship. They gutted their depth to acquire him, but the Heat consistently have found ways to build contending teams. Antetokounmpo and Bam Adebayo will make them formidable.7. Toronto RaptorsWhether or not the Kawhi Leonard trade is cleared by the NBA will dictate Toronto's ranking. With Leonard, they have a greater chance at building on a 46-win season and surviving a brutal division featuring the Sixers, Celtics and Knicks.8. Atlanta HawksOther than Jalen Johnson, the Hawks lack starpower. But their depth can make up for it Dyson Daniels and newcomer Lu Dort give them two strong perimeter defenders, and lottery pick Kingston Flemings brings upside at point guard.9. Indiana PacersTyrese Haliburton's return from an Achilles tear will determine how good Indiana will be. If he picks up where he left off from an All-Star season, Haliburton, Pascal Siakam and Ivaca Zubac will make them a playoff contender.10. Orlando MagicNikola Vucevic has long been among the league's best shooters at the five, and his arrival addressed one of Orlando's main weaknesses last season. As we saw in the first round, the Magic play like a contender when Franz Wagner is healthy. But if he has another injury-plagued season, Orlando will have a tough time competing.11. Washington WizardsOn paper, the Wizards are as exciting as they've ever been. First-overall pick AJ Dybantsa joins a roster featuring two stars in Anthony Davis and Trae Young. But they have unproven depth, and their prospects depend on Davis' ability to stay healthy and how quickly Dybantsa acclimates to the NBA.12. Charlotte HornetsHad their best season in years as one of the league's best teams after the season's first quarter, but dealt their top offensive player in LaMelo Ball, and a second starters in Miles Bridges.There's a steep drop-off after the top-12 teams. Those final three teams round out my power ranks:13. Chicago Bulls14. Milwaukee Bucks15. Brooklyn NetsContact Omari Sankofa II atosankofa@freepress.com. Follow him onXand/orBluesky.[ MUST WATCH:Make"The Pistons Pulse"your go-toPistonspodcast, listen available anywhere you listen to podcasts (Apple,Spotify)or watchlive on YouTube. ]This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: How LeBron James to 76ers shapes East's NBA power rankings, Pistons

LeBron James's shocking decision to sign with the Philadelphia 76ers may reshape the Eastern Conference even further.The Detroit Pistons were the No. 1 seed in the East in 2025-26, and though they made a bunch of trades this offseason, the Sixers are among several teams who have taken bigger swings and will threaten the Pistons' contending status. Here's a quick look at the loaded in East, one month into the offseason and three months before the NBA 2026-27 season.[ Trajan Langdon's underwhelming offseason with Pistons is big gamble for good reason ]NBA power rankings in Eastern Conference1. New York KnicksThe defending champions lost their top rim protector, Mitchell Robinson to the Boston Celtics and replaced him with former Pistons star Andre Drummond. Otherwise, their roster remains intact and theyre well-positioned for a second Finals run.2. Philadelphia 76ersJaylen Browns trade from Boston to Philadelphia propelled the Sixers to contending status. LeBron James surprising decision to sign a two-year deal with them secures their superteam status, with Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecomb solidifying the most formidable starting lineup in the conference.3. Detroit PistonsIt has been a quieter offseason than some hoped for, but the Pistons made meaningful additions. Isaiah Joe, Taurean Prince and Gary Harris are good-to-elite shooters and upgrade the teams spacing, which too often was cramped last season. John Collins provides both outside shooting and above-the-rim finishing at the four.They will have to adjust to life without Tobias Harris and Isaiah Stewart, but continued growth from Cade Cunningham, Ausar Thompson and Jalen Duren (who remains in a contract standoff with the organization) will keep the Pistons among the top of the East.4. Cleveland CavaliersThe team that eliminated the Pistons from the playoffs lost its best Cunningham defender, Dean Wade, to the Sixers. Assuming James Harden re-signs, their fortunes will depend on if the aging star, who turns 37 in August, can stay healthy and continue performing at a high level.5. Boston CelticsIt remains to be seen how theyll look after trading Brown, but this is still a balanced team with a perennial MVP candidate in Jayson Tatum, who will be more than a year removed from an Achilles tear that caused him to miss 66 games last season.ANALYSIS: Pistons have something to prove in tougher East after summer of change6. Miami HeatGiannis Antetokounmpo is the latest late-career superstar to move to Miami in pursuit of a championship. They gutted their depth to acquire him, but the Heat consistently have found ways to build contending teams. Antetokounmpo and Bam Adebayo will make them formidable.7. Toronto RaptorsWhether or not the Kawhi Leonard trade is cleared by the NBA will dictate Torontos ranking. With Leonard, they have a greater chance at building on a 46-win season and surviving a brutal division featuring the Sixers, Celtics and Knicks.8. Atlanta HawksOther than Jalen Johnson, the Hawks lack starpower. But their depth can make up for it Dyson Daniels and newcomer Lu Dort give them two strong perimeter defenders, and lottery pick Kingston Flemings brings upside at point guard.9. Indiana PacersTyrese Haliburtons return from an Achilles tear will determine how good Indiana will be. If he picks up where he left off from an All-Star season, Haliburton, Pascal Siakam and Ivaca Zubac will make them a playoff contender.10. Orlando MagicNikola Vucevic has long been among the leagues best shooters at the five, and his arrival addressed one of Orlandos main weaknesses last season. As we saw in the first round, the Magic play like a contender when Franz Wagner is healthy. But if he has another injury-plagued season, Orlando will have a tough time competing.11. Washington WizardsOn paper, the Wizards are as exciting as theyve ever been. First-overall pick AJ Dybantsa joins a roster featuring two stars in Anthony Davis and Trae Young. But they have unproven depth, and their prospects depend on Davis ability to stay healthy and how quickly Dybantsa acclimates to the NBA.12. Charlotte HornetsHad their best season in years as one of the league's best teams after the season's first quarter, but dealt their top offensive player in LaMelo Ball, and a second starters in Miles Bridges. There's a steep drop-off after the top-12 teams. Those final three teams round out my power ranks:13. Chicago Bulls14. Milwaukee Bucks15. Brooklyn NetsContact Omari Sankofa II atosankofa@freepress.com. Follow him onXand/orBluesky.[ MUST WATCH:Make"The Pistons Pulse"your go-toPistonspodcast, listen available anywhere you listen to podcasts (Apple,Spotify)or watchlive on YouTube. ]This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: How LeBron James to 76ers shapes East's NBA power rankings, Pistons

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FOXBOROUGH, Mass As all the players returned to Gillette Stadium for the start of training camp on Friday, July 24, Christian Gonzalez was among them. The star cornerback is currently in the last year of his rookie deal, but has made it clear he wants to stay in New England as he and the team try to iron out a contract extension. As the deal has yet to be done, his status for training camp was brought into question. But head coach Mike Vrabel made it clear that he expects Gonzalez to be a full participant. He is here.I expect him to participate, Vrabel said. So, those contract negotiations are ongoing between the club and his agents. And Im excited about having Christian back here with us and the impact he can make on our football team. Really enjoy the person, enjoy the player, and thats what Im looking forward to.Recent reports have suggested that the holdup with Gonzalezs new deal is due to the ongoing negotiations between the Seahawks and cornerback Devon Witherspoon. And it's worth noting that Gonzalez and Witherspoon share an agent. However, Vrabel denied this, saying that's not the case at all. I dont think they have anything to do with one another, Vrabel said. Were not negotiating with the Seahawks, were negotiating with Christians representatives. I dont think that theres anything different than just our communication with him.During mandatory minicamp, Gonzalez was in attendance but did not participate in any of the full-speed team drills. However, Vrabel said he anticipates the cornerback taking part in everything during training camp. Were getting ready to prepare to win, Vrabel said. And thats what this is going to take through training camp. We talked about this last year earning a role, building a team, and preparing to win. And players have an opportunity to earn a role. Coaches are going to be there to help them. We all have to build a team, and I have to do my best to prepare us to win by our situations and the way we practice throughout training camp.Follow Patriots Wire onTwitterandFacebook.This article originally appeared on Patriots Wire: Patriots' Mike Vrabel details the latest with CB Christian Gonzalez

Ernesto Rodriguez came into PFL Washington fight week ready to compete on the prelims, but now, he's fighting for the welterweight title.Thursday, one half of the original main event, Shamil Musaev, pulled out of the vacant welterweight title bout against Thad Jean. PFL quickly scrambled to find a new opponent for Jean, and Rodriguez stepped in to create a new main event for the card taking place at CareFirst Arena in Washington DC. Musaev (20-1-1) withdrew due to weight cut complications.Rodriguez (11-1) was originally scheduled to face Aaron McKenzie (12-2-1) on the prelims. "I feel like this is the best opportunity of my entire career, and if anybody has the skills to come out victory on Saturday night, that's me," Rodriguez said in a PFL interview.Rodriguez has watched Jean fight before, so he's familiar with his game. Even though this situation popped up at the last minute, he's confident in his ability to not only compete against Jean but also come away with the gold."I've watched him live before, and then as soon as we got the news, me and my coach, we started watching his videos, some of his weaknesses, some of the things that he does OK, and I'm ready. I'm prepared for it."PFL Event Model Sophia checks in with Ernesto Rodriguez after the new #PFLDC Main Event news The PFL Welterweight World Title will be on the line between Thad Jean and Ernesto Rodriguez this Saturday, July 25th!#PFLDC | Saturday, July 25th | Prelims 8PM EST on the ESPN App pic.twitter.com/hWC4ZKhZ4G PFL (@PFLMMA) July 24, 2026This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: PFL Washington's Ernesto Rodriguez reacts to sudden main event bump

Clemson Needs a Running Game RenaissanceGreetings STS, it is time to take a quick look at Clemson footballs position groups before looking ahead at a very pivotal 2026 season. The Tigers nearly reached any worst case scenario record projections last year, falling from a preseason top 5 ranking to a 7-6 finish. There was plenty of blame to go around for that, of course, but the offense ultimately shouldered the biggest share of the blame leading to the firing of Garrett Riley and return of Chad Morris as OC.Running back topped most lists of question marks heading into the 2025 season because there was precious little experience and production returning. Adam Randall made the move to RB before the Texas game and was the no doubt RB1 all season long. He actually was right about where I had projected him to be in terms of production. I had this to say back in the fall:RB1: Adam Randall: Count me aboard the Randall train and I say he holds this all season. Ill put him in the 2021 Will Shipley range of around 150 carries for 800 yards and around 5.3 a carry.Well, Randall finished the season with 168 carries, 814 yards, and 4.8 a carry. He also hauled in 36 catches for 254 yards. All in all it is hard to gripe about what Clemson got out of Randall. After that, though, the production fell off substantially.RB2 ultimately became freshman Gideon Davidson and there were some positive signs down the stretch to be sure, but overall neither Davidson nor any of the other available backs came close to making the type of impact the team needed. How much of that was on the running backs and how much of that was on Riley and position coach CJ Spiller is hard to really know. Jay Haynes never returned from his ACL injury, which was followed by a hamstring issue, and David Eziomume and Keith Adams, Jr. were almost entirely used in garbage time. Chad Morris is back as Clemson OC and promises a two back, run based offense. This fall is going to be huge for that running back room to show who he can lean on when the lights go on for real. The teams lone offensive transfer take is electric SMU transfer Chris Johnson, Jr. who can top 22 mph on a football field and reportedly clocked a 4.24 40 recently. It appears the days of Cole Turner being the fastest guy on the team are over.Gideon Davidson is going to get every chance to solidify the RB 1 job. Davidson certainly had some moments of showing good power through the gaps (when they were there) and some potential in the open field situations. The entire unit failed to produce much in the way of huge runs beyond 30 yards though. Randalls long was 46 and Davidsons was just 28, so that is an area where the addition of Chris Johnson Jr. should provide a boost.Jay Haynes and Jarvis Green and are both returning from injuries that kept them out in 2025. Haynes in particular seemed poised to ascend to RB1 before he tore his ACL in the ACC title game vs. SMU. It is always hard to know just how a player will return from injuries like that and typically it takes 18 months to truly be clear of it. Green was more of a fallback take when he signed but flashed in the Texas game with a TD catch. You never know how certain players will either move up or fade based on coaching changes, but those two will most likely start out at RB4-5 when spring begins.Clemson has had a lot of guys miss the spring in recent years with various clean up procedures, but I would hope those numbers are a lot lower this time considering the offense is changing. It will be fascinating to see how much good on good live work Swinney opts to do in the fall as a result. Clemson should have more viable depth at the position this year versus last year, especially with Johnson added, but as always health is going to be a major factor. How much Morris can motivate change in the physical nature of the Clemson offense, in particular the OL and WR blocking, is as important as the guy getting carries will be. That is why hes back in town.Chad Morris got very good production out of his RB 1 during his first run in Clemson. Andre Ellington ran for 1,178 yards with 11 TDs in 2011 and 1,081 yards with 8 TDs in 2012. Hot Rod McDowell followed him with 1,025 yards with 5 TDs in 2013. 2014 was a transition year for the running back room with no true veteran heir for McDowell but Wayne Gallman emerged down the stretch of his freshman year for 769 yards and 4 TDs. The vast majority of those yards from Gallman came in the final four games of that season and Chad showed he would feed him once he got established. I certainly think the days of seeing the RBs completely ignored like we saw at the end of 2024 and several times in 2025 are over. It will be up to Davidson and Johnson to take full advantage of their opportunities.RB is down the list for concerns for me behind QB, DT, and OL, although both lead backs have yet to be the feature guy in their careers. The talent is there and both guys flashed it during the spring game. Some fans may still not be thrilled for Morris to be back, but you have to credit him for pushing Dabo to bring in Johnson from the portal. My concern at RB would be much higher otherwise considering Jay Hayness lengthy absences due to injury. Davidson was brought in to be a bell cow back and his time is now. Clemson will need him to be dependable and finish runs consistently to help the offense stay on schedule. The only guy I might somewhat compare to Johnson that Morris had at Clemson would have been Mike Bellamy but Bellamy obviously couldnt stay out of trouble and washed out. One of the things Im most looking forward to seeing is what Chad cooks up for that skill set this fall. I have much more faith that Morris will put things in to feature players than I had with Garrett Riley.We will know pretty quickly down in Baton Rouge because Clemson isnt bringing a QB to that game you can honestly say is ready to carry the team. Staying competitive there and perhaps even springing an upset is going to take the guys around CV and/or Tait Reynolds stepping up. The RBs are going to be a major part of that equation.

LeBron James is headed to Philadelphia for his record 24th NBA season.Photograph: Ronald Martinez/Getty ImagesShould we have seen this coming all along? LeBron James knew that joining the Golden State Warriors would have been a losing gamble on the health of players five times closer to the ends of their careers than the beginnings. He knew the Cleveland Cavaliers, however strong their analytics, hopelessly lacked the unquantifiable greatness of a championship team. He knew the Giannis Antetokounmpo-led Miami Heat were too unproven to hitch his wagon to.Of course he knew.The Philadelphia 76ers arent necessarily the best team James could have chosen I still think he could have soared the highest on the Minnesota Timberwolves (maybe that recruiting call from LaMelo Ball, or the prospect of riding shotgun with him, was just too off-putting) but LeBron in Philly makes all the sense in the world.Unlike the Heat, Cavs or Warriors, the 76ers figure to have some margin for disaster. The main concern is that Joel Embiid is hopelessly injury-prone, and despite James proving more injury-resistant than his 20-something co-stars last season in Los Angeles, nobody should be expecting durability from a man who turns 42 in December.But Philly have enough talent that injuries may not prove catastrophic. Theres the dynamic Tyrese Maxey, who led the league in minutes per game this year. Theres fellow 76ers newbie and former NBA finals MVP Jaylen Brown, whose much-disparaged efficiency could easily improve with this good a supporting staff. Twenty-year-old VJ Edgecombe should just keep getting better in his sophomore season.Throw in James for 30 minutes a game to facilitate the offense, get Brown good shooting or driving looks, and take some of the playmaking burden off Maxey. In the games where Embiids ligaments decide not to violently betray him, this teams starting five could stack up against anybodys.The decision, broken by ESPNs Shams Charania and complete with a plug for agent Rich Pauls podcast I give it one more pivot to video before co-host credits start appearing on tombstones is wonderfully LeBronian.The Sixers were always a fascinating potential landing spot for James following his departure from the Los Angeles Lakers. They showed more upside than expected in beating the Boston Celtics from 3-1 down to begin the playoffs, then added Brown in the offseason. But they were hardly his expected destination.The Heat seemed to have separated themselves from the pack, particularly when a social media editor with an itchy trigger finger posted a YouTube link titled LeBron James Introductory Press Conference. scheduled for 27 July. The Cavs, with whom James began his career and had his finest moment in 2016, were the romantic choice. The Warriors offered a chance to play with Steph Curry.Leave it to LeBron to deny sentimentality in favor of a good basketball fit.Can we talk about the money now? James signed an $8m, two-year deal with Philadelphia. Thats dramatically closer to what his benchwarming son is making on the Lakers than the $104m extension James signed with Los Angeles in 2024. Its not that James doesnt have an ego. He initially struggled to slot into the Lakers as the third option behind Luka Doni and Austin Reaves. The lede of an ESPN story in May depicted James walking out of Crypto.com Arena bitter over not being given the game ball on a night he became the player with the most wins in NBA history.Whats remarkable is his ability to set aside that ego. His ethos of making the right play, not the play most conducive to individual glory, is unaffected by decades of Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant hero-ball warping basketball discourse. James eventually embraced his third-option role and excelled at it. He accepted that he couldnt have the money he felt he deserved or a championship-caliber team in Los Angeles. Say what you will about him milking this decision for all it was worth, but the way James has conducted his career has never been selfish at the cost of being correct.This decision doesnt suddenly vault the 76ers into a tier with the San Antonio Spurs or Oklahoma City Thunder. Weve yet to see them put together a hot streak as scalding or prolonged as the one that propelled the New York Knicks to a championship last month. James fit in Philly might look better on paper than in practice. Father Time might come for him with a new vengeance this season. Joel Embiids knee might collapse with the force of a dying star.But entering his age-42 season, with a Hall of Fame-worthy micro-career packed into each of his three previous stops, LeBron James has injected fresh intrigue into his new team and the league as a whole. What more could you ask for?

Usage rate stat shows 76ers problem with LeBron James signing since there's only one basketball originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.The Philadelphia 76ers are going to have to follow that pesky NBA rule in 2026-27 that allows them only to use one basketball on the court at a time.Given their high-octane potential lineup of Tyrese Maxey, VJ Edgecombe, Jaylen Brown, LeBron James and Joel Embiid, that could be at least a little bit of a problem.Brown from the Celtics and James from the Lakers bring along their own usage statistics from last season -- and when you add them with the three best 76ers returners, it's clear that this could get interesting:Usages last year:LeBron: 27%Maxey: 29%Edgecombe: 19%Brown: 35%Embiid: 32%Total: 142%That ought to be interesting. Dean Oliver (@DeanO_Lytics) July 24, 2026MORE:The Process culminates with LeBron JamesAt the beginning and end of games, the 76ers are going to have to work out how they want to operate.The good news is that in the middle of games, they can stagger lineups so the high-usage players aren't all on the floor at once. That'll keep things a bit more normal for these guys.The bad news is that they aren't necessarily great off-ball players, with Maxey potentially the exception. They like having the basketball, but yeah, there's only one.MORE:Jaylen Brown's Bronny James comments have resurfacedOne of the most compelling aspects of LeBron's last few decisions has been seeing how he learns to gel within his new team construct. That will again be fascinating to watch in Philadelphia.The 76ers aren't guaranteed to get this right. But if they can work it out, that lineup could certainly be potent.More NBA news:NBA Reddit thinks Cooper Flagg grew 2 inchesHow Heat can unite Giannis with his brothersCaleb Wilson fires a subtle shot at AJ Dybantsa, Darryn PetersonGiannis legacy with the Bucks remains intactA hint at where Bronny James will play next season

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