Bam Adebayo didn’t hide his feelings about LeBron James picking the Philadelphia 76ers over the Miami Heat, but he also wasn’t about to make it into a bigger drama than it was.
James’ decision came after he announced he was leaving the Los Angeles Lakers, setting off a wave of interest across the league. Even at 41, he still carried the kind of pull that makes teams sit up and make a run, thanks to his championship résumé and obvious talent. In this version of the story, it was the 76ers who won him over after they traded for Jaylen Brown, a move that signaled real ambition and ultimately helped lure James to Philadelphia.
That left Miami on the outside looking in.
For Adebayo, the fit was easy to imagine. As one of the Heat’s stars, he could picture James feeding him on lobs and working the pick-and-roll.
Add Giannis Antetokounmpo to that mix, and the idea of that trio had plenty of juice. Instead, the Heat came up short, even though they had landed James 16 years ago.
This time, the 76ers were simply the more tempting destination.
Adebayo admitted the Heat would have been better off with James, but he also made clear he’s content with what Miami has now. He and Antetokounmpo in the same frontcourt is enough to make people pay attention, and Adebayo knows it.
His connection with James goes back to their Team USA days, and that familiarity helped explain why the decision didn’t shock him. He knows how James thinks, and he’s not taking the move personally. Now, though, the two will be facing each other as conference rivals.
"I’m cool with Bron. I consider Bron like a brother, honestly.
We’ve been Olympic teammates, but even before that we’ve always had down-to-earth conversations. I’m happy for him.
You want what’s best for somebody. That’s really how you go from there," Adebayo said about James joining the 76ers and snubbing the Heat.
The Eastern Conference looks crowded in the 2026-27 season. The New York Knicks are the defending champions and still the team to beat, but the Heat, 76ers and Indiana Pacers with Tyrese Haliburton are all in the mix.
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