There are basketball games in which the numbers tell the story, and then there are nights when they are beside the point. LeBron James’ first home appearance in a Sixers uniform the other day belonged firmly to the second category. Eight points, eight rebounds, and seven assists in 25 minutes hardly qualify as eye-popping, even from an all-time great entering his 24th National Basketball Association (NBA) season. The stat line was, however, put up in preseason hoops, and treating it as anything more would be missing the point. At the same time, Philadelphia did not pack Xfinity Mobile Arena to see him chase a scoring title in October. It came to see a basketball icon begin another chapter, in a city that has been waiting a long time for something worth getting excited about.
To be sure, the very same numbers, modest as they were, also offered a glimpse of what the Sixers need from him. James does not have to dominate the ball, what with Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and Jaylen Brown sharing the floor with him. He has spent two decades and change learning how to read defenses, find the open man, and make the right decision before everyone else has finished processing the possession. His seven dimes were a stark reminder that his greatest contribution to the sport may well be how much easier he makes the game for everybody around him. The chemistry will take time. So will figuring out how a collection of stars accustomed to having the ball in their hands can function as one team. Of course, those are precisely the things the preseason is supposed to help resolve.
In any case, the response from the crowd was clear. James’ familiar chalk toss, his introduction in a Sixers jersey, and, for good measure, an alley-oop finish off a pass from Maxey were enough to turn an exhibition into an occasion. The arena was sold out, with 19,746 warm bodies in attendance, and the enthusiasm extended well beyond the usual basketball faithful. For a franchise that has endured years of frustration, injuries, and playoff disappointments, the arrival of a player whose career has become part of the NBA’s cultural fabric carries a different kind of promise. He is not simply another name on a roster. He is a reason for people to show up, pay attention, and imagine what might be possible.
All these matter in Philadelphia, whose relationship with its sports teams has always been intensely personal. Fans in the City of Brotherly Love do not tend to offer affection on credit, and they are hardly known for confusing effort with achievement. James will eventually have to earn his props the old-fashioned way: by helping the Sixers win when the matches count. Yet his presence already gives the franchise a reach that goes beyond the standings. Families have another reason to make a night at the arena a memorable one, angling for a fresh connection to one of the most recognizable athletes on the planet. And, above the din, the red, white, and blue get the type of attention that cannot be manufactured by a marketing campaign.
Needless to say, affection does not win championships, and a preseason dunk is not evidence that the Sixers have solved their basketball concerns. The Celtics still left with the victory, and they still have to demonstrate that their talent can survive the demands of a long season. Add to this the need for James, all of 41, to be managed carefully, because the objective is not to make every highlight memorable; it is to preserve his influence for the months that matter most. There will be nights when he scores 25, and there will be nights when he takes a back seat. There will be criticism, too, because expectations follow him wherever he goes. But if his home debut proved anything, it is that his value cannot be measured by the box score. Philadelphia has seen the numbers, and what it is really buying into is the possibility that, with him around, something bigger might finally happen.
Anthony L. Cuaycong has been writing Courtside since BusinessWorld introduced a Sports section in 1994. He is a consultant on strategic planning, operations and human resources management, corporate communications, and business development.