76ers President Says LeBron Is the GOAT. That’s Not the Only Thing He Admitted.

Mike Gansey didn’t just say the Philadelphia 76ers want LeBron James. He called him the best player of all time. Out loud. On the record.

That kind of talk from a team president isn’t accidental. It’s recruitment. It’s messaging. And it tells you exactly how serious Philly is about landing the league’s all-time leading scorer this summer.

Gansey spoke to The Athletic’s Tony Jones about the Sixers’ pursuit of James, who is weighing his options in free agency. And he didn’t hold back.

“We’ve had conversations with Rich, really, since the Jaylen trade,” Gansey said Monday, referring to agent Rich Paul. “LeBron and his camp have kept quiet, and there has been speculation for different teams. But we’d obviously love to have LeBron. I respect the heck out of him. In my opinion, he’s the best player of all time.”

The pitch is personal

Gansey has a history with James that goes beyond scouting reports. He was in the Cleveland Cavaliers’ front office during James’s second stint there, including the 2016 championship run. That experience gives him a perspective most execs don’t have.

“Those years I had with him in Cleveland were incredible,” Gansey said.

It’s not just nostalgia. The 76ers just reshaped their entire roster around a new core. They traded Paul George and draft capital to Boston for Jaylen Brown, joining a group that already includes Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, and rookie VJ Edgecombe. Adding James to that mix would make the Sixers an immediate title favorite in the East.

Gansey didn’t hide how he sees it. “If James decides to come here, we’re going to be even better.”

The waiting game

James hasn’t tipped his hand publicly. That’s by design, according to Gansey.

“I think his decision is dragging out because he has a lot of good options and he wants to figure it out,” he said. “He would obviously add a lot to our team. But at the end of the day, I know he’s going to make the right decision for him and his family.”

The list of suitors isn’t short. The Miami Heat, Golden State Warriors, and even a potential Cleveland reunion are all in the mix. LeBron at 39 can still command this kind of attention because he’s still putting up All-NBA numbers and he’s still the biggest draw in the sport.

Gansey’s GOAT comment is a calculated move. It’s also probably genuine. But in the high-stakes world of NBA free agency, public praise is part of the strategy. The question is whether it works.

For now, the 76ers wait. And they’re not being subtle about what they want.