E-Paper
LeBron James Sixers: Joel Embiid's viral reaction clip sparks buzz as Philadelphia star's long wish finally comes true
More than a decade after Joel Embiid asked LeBron James to come to Philadelphia. Now, his long-standing wish has finally become reality.
The long-running speculation surrounding where LeBron James would finish his NBA career finally came to an end on Friday morning, with the four-time NBA champion officially announcing his move to the Philadelphia 76ers.
LeBron James' decision was eagerly awaited not only by fans but also by NBA franchises and players across the league.
LeBron James-Joel Embiid partnership begins
Now that the 41-year-old has chosen the Philadelphia 76ers, he is set to share the court with former MVP Joel Embiid in one of the league's most anticipated new partnerships.
Embiid can hardly be more excited about the move. While many prominent figures from Philadelphia's sports community have publicly shared their reactions, the 76ers star has yet to make any official comment or post a response.
Embiid’s old reaction video resurfaces
However, an old and widely circulated reaction clip of Embiid has resurfaced on social media, with many fans treating it as his unofficial response to the move.
A 76ers fan account on X resurfaced an old video that Embiid originally posted on his own account in December 2021.
In the clip, the Philadelphia star is seen bursting with excitement, celebrating inside his home by shouting, jumping around, and making animated gestures that capture his enthusiasm.
However, the fan account shared the clip with the caption, “Embiid's reaction to getting LeBron,” followed by a laughing emoji, jokingly suggesting the old video reflected how the 76ers star would react if James joined Philadelphia.
Old clip sparks fan buzz
Several fans appeared to mistake the resurfaced video for a recent clip posted after the LeBron news, leading to a wave of amusing reactions.
One fan wrote, “Stop celebrating like that we need you healthy.” Another added, “Lol… he’s going crazy”.
Many of the responses centered on Embiid's injury history, with fans jokingly urging him not to hurt himself before the new season if he were to team up with James.
One user commented, “Holy shit ,he should be careful or else get injured again and miss out the rest of the season.”
Others played along with the assumption that the video captured Embiid's genuine reaction to LeBron's arrival.
“Lmao he didn’t say shit when they got Jaylen Brown though,” one fan wrote.
Another tweeted, “Embiid’s reaction to landing LeBron Bro is already planning the parade route.”
One more user emphasized the magnitude of a potential LeBron signing, commenting, “This’s more than winning the NBA trophy,”.
Embiid’s wish comes true
More than a decade ago, shortly after being drafted, Joel Embiid took to X at the opening of NBA free agency to publicly recruit LeBron James to the Philadelphia 76ers.
Also read: Why did Kevin Calabro leave Blazers after nine seasons? Reports point to ‘subprime’ contract dispute
At the time, James opted to return to the Cleveland Cavaliers, but now, 12 years later, Embiid's long-standing wish has finally become reality as LeBron agreed to a two-year, $8 million contract with Philadelphia.
