LeBron James announces he is joining the 76ers

LeBron James is joining the Philadelphia 76ers - the NBA superstar announced on Friday on social media.

In his posts, James said this would be his "final decision", and that it came after he had seriously considered retirement.

"I believe I can help make the Philadelphia 76ers a championship team, and I'm really excited to energize a new fan base, and to embark on this incredible journey one more time," James said.

The four-time NBA champion also wrote that at the end of his 23rd season, he felt he was "done", and that it was his last season with the Los Angeles Lakers.

"I was pretty sure I had played my last game. I was honest at that final press conference when I said I needed to look within myself and decide whether I still love this game," James wrote. "I still genuinely love this game, and I still have more to give."

This will be James's fourth team in his career, having previously played for the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Miami Heat and, most recently, the Los Angeles Lakers. Reports indicate he is signing a two-year, $8 million contract.

"I'm not going for the money. I'm not going for the family," James wrote. "I still want to sacrifice. I still want to work. I still want to compete, to win, and to get the chance to feel what winning feels like."

James is joining a team that hasn't won a championship since 1983 and hasn't advanced past the second round of the playoffs since 2001. The 76ers boast one of the league's best starting lineups, with Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and newly acquired Jaylen Brown (MVP of the 2024 Finals).

Pennsylvania governor Josh Shapiro declared Friday "LeBron James Day" in the state.