LeBron turns down the Warriors: Stephen Curry’s reaction
Stephen Curry learned during a charity golf tournament that LeBron James had chosen the Philadelphia 76ers. His reaction quickly went viral as the Warriors saw their biggest offseason dream come to an end
For weeks, the Golden State Warriors were considered one of the frontrunners to land LeBron James. In the end, however, the four-time NBA champion chose the Philadelphia 76ers, leaving Stephen Curry and Warriors fans wondering what might have been.
Stephen Curry reacts to LeBron joining the 76ers
Curry was in Arkansas taking part in a charity golf tournament hosted by teammate Moses Moody’s Motivate One Foundation when the news broke.
A fan informed him that LeBron James had committed to the Philadelphia 76ers. Curry pulled out his phone to verify the report himself, gently shook his head, snapped his fingers, and calmly returned his attention to the event without making any public comments.
It was a composed reaction, but many interpreted it as the realization that the Warriors had just missed out on a move that could have reshaped the franchise’s immediate future.
Curry personally tried to recruit LeBron
Behind the scenes, Stephen Curry had done everything he could to persuade James to come to Golden State. The two superstars spoke multiple times during free agency, and Curry himself admitted that he had personally tried to recruit LeBron.
That’s why you don’t envision anything until it happens
Stephen Curry via ThompsonScribe
According to agent Rich Paul, the final decision ultimately came down to the Warriors and the 76ers. Philadelphia prevailed, with James signing a two-year, $8 million contract that includes a player option for the second season.
Why LeBron chose Philadelphia
According to ESPN insider Anthony Slater, the biggest reason LeBron seriously considered Golden State was the opportunity to play alongside Stephen Curry.
The issue, however, was the overall roster.
While the Warriors failed to make major additions during the offseason, the 76ers built a significantly stronger championship core by adding Jaylen Brown alongside Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey.
For a player who has repeatedly made it clear that his priority is competing for another NBA title, Philadelphia ultimately offered the more compelling basketball situation.