LeBron James admits he nearly joined the Knicks before Jalen Brunson won the NBA title without him

After a summer of endless free agency rumors, opting out of his contract, and leaving his family on the West Coast to chase another ring in the East, he finally landed in Philadelphia.This page may contain affiliate links to legal sports betting partners.If you sign up or place a wager, FOX News may be compensated.

This content was created by a team that works independently from the FOX newsroom.Yet before taking a single shot in a Sixers uniform, he was already laying down excuses and tossing his new teammates under the bus."If we can do that, then we can be a great team," he said.LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers warms up before Game 4 of the second round of the NBA Western Conference playoffs against the Oklahoma City Thunder at Crypto.com Arena on May 11, 2026, in Los Angeles, Calif.(Getty Images)"If we don't do that, then we'll be like, 'Oh man, it was a great team on paper.

We had a lot of great talent, and we lost in the second round.' I don't wanna do that.I didn't leave my family to lose in the second round, I know that for sure.

So the work needs to be done, and I'm ready to put the work in."Classic LeBron.If they win, he is the savior.

If they lose, the team on paper simply did not put in the work.Then came the best part.LeBron admitted he nearly signed with the New York Knicks, but backed off after they won a championship without him, knowing fans would roast him online for pulling a Kevin Durant.LeBron James and Bronny James of the Los Angeles Lakers defend against the Minnesota Timberwolves during the second quarter at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, Calif., on Oct.22, 2024.

(Getty Images)"I had visions of playing in [Madison Square] Garden and finishing my career in the Garden," LeBron said."One of the best places I've ever played.

I think it's the No.1 arena in the world, as far as for a basketball player.

But after they beat San Antonio, I was like, 'Hey, I can't.' I couldn't do it.Y'all wouldn't have let me lay that down, at all."...