Philadelphia 76ers: 5 reasons to go all in on LeBron James
By Bret Stuter
5. Philadelphia passion
When a player competes in any professional sport, there are three basic goals: compensation, opportunity and recognition. LeBron James is no different. So let’s assume that the compensation part is handled by a half dozen or so teams. And let’s take a leap of faith that the appearance of the Sixers in last year’s playoffs offers a compelling reason to believe that they can compete in the NBA Finals with LeBron James.
That leaves recognition. That’s Philadelphia’s wheelhouse.
Some sports cities harbor an expectation of winning it all on an annual basis. For those cities, they attract the media sensationalism each offseason. They also attract the more casual fans. Celebrities are televised on the sidelines or in the stands. It’s “the happening.”
But Philadelphia has never been such a place. In Philly, wins do not come as easily. As a result, the fans cherish that pinnacle of success like no other city. It’s that passion and homage that gives an Eagles backup quarterback incentive to remain with the team despite earning the right to command his own offense.
It’s that same emotion that compels players who have plugged in with the fans’ emotions to recognize Philadelphia as one of the best cities to play in. That type of raw passion is not present with all fanbases. Even rarer is the ability of players to connect at that emotional level with the fans. In Philadelphia, it’s a prerequisite. A player of LeBron’s caliber would have no trouble connecting to that energy.