Tom Brady, LeBron, Jeter UNITE at Fanatics Fest
FOX Business’ Madison Alworth reports live from Fanatics Fest in New York, detailing the huge gathering of sports fans and athletes. CEO Lance Fensterman reveals megastars including Serena Williams and David Beckham will be in attendance. The festival expects 200,000 attendees over its four days, demonstrating its significant growth since 2022.
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LeBron James didn’t announce his next team at Fanatics Fest on Thursday, but he certainly stirred the pot.
The NBA’s all-time leading scorer is a free agent and has said he will compete in an unprecedented 24th NBA season, but it remains to be seen where he will go.
Common teams in the speculated melee were the Golden State Warriors, Miami Heat, Cleveland Cavaliers and Philadelphia 76ers. But during a live taping of his “Mind the Game” podcast with Indiana Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton at the event, James uttered a three-word phrase that has often been linked to the latter team.
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LeBron James speaks on stage during The Shop Live panel at Fanatics Fest NYC 2026 at the Jacob Javits Center in New York on July 17, 2026. (Roy Rochlin/Getty Images for Fanatics)
“I want to join a franchise that shares the same model of practicing championship habits every day myself, but trusts the process more than anything,” James said. “You actually trust the process of…”
James was then interrupted by fans’ oohs and aahs, as “trust the process” has been the Sixers’ de facto motto for over a decade.
“Wait, wait, wait,” Tyrese Haliburton interjected.
James, however, was adamant that this was not an Easter egg.
LeBron James speaks onstage during the Mind the Game panel at Fanatics Fest NYC 2026 at the Jacob Javits Center in New York on July 16, 2026. (Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Fanatics)
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“I’ve been saying ‘trust the process’ since I was hired in 2003, and even before [Joel] Embiid is born,” James applauded.
James told fans he “won’t hold you back any longer.”
“It’s a big decision not only for me, but also for my family. It’s not just about the team,” James insisted, adding jokingly that his own son, Bronny, is now a former teammate.
“There are so many other factors I’m considering right now to determine what’s best for me as a player, what’s best for me as a person, and what’s best for me and my family’s happiness.”
Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James stands on the court in the final minutes of Game 4 of a second-round NBA playoff series against the Oklahoma City Thunder, May 11, 2026, in Los Angeles. (Mark J. Terrill/AP)
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James, 41, averaged 20.9 points, 7.2 assists and 6.1 rebounds last season, helping the Lakers win a playoff series while Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves nursed injuries.
