RESOLVING THE LEDGER
This is one outlet's own report from Yahoo Sports — the article as it was filed. Other outlets are covering the same event; open the full story to compare every source side by side.
See the full story · 1 sourcesI recently authored a piece for this very site about LeBron James ‘ decision to enter into a free agency. In it, I predicted that the bid for LeBron’s new team would take all Summer long, and result in a slew of cringe celebrity endorsement videos from actors, politicians, and citizens across all 50 states. This morning, I learned that none of those things would be happening, since APNews reports that the four-time NBA champion has signed a two-year deal with the Philadelphia 76ers. LeBron has called this his final decision, effectively confirming that he’ll be a Philly player until his retirement.
At first, I was shocked by this headline, especially since the all-time leading scorer will be taking a salary cut of nearly $45 million annually. But, as the pop culture-obsessed hamster continued sprinting inside my brain, I realized that this placed LeBron in the prime position to cameo in multiple Philadelphia-based film, TV, and music events. Personally, I think King James would be an incredible fit as a cameo appearance on It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia or Abbott Elementary , and an even more natural fixture at the annual Roots Picnic.
Location Is Everything
LeBron James in Trainwreck (2015)
If you’re a loyal viewer of either of the aforementioned TV shows, you know that Always Sunny and Abbott are both intrinsically tied to their Philly roots, especially in regard to their local sports franchises. Always Sunny has centered episodes on sneaking into a Phillies game, catching the Eagles at the Super Bowl, and getting blasted on riot punch in front of the Philly Phanatic, while Abbott Elementary ‘s most recent season dedicated an entire episode to the teachers attending Citizens Bank Park during Kyle Schwarber’s four-home run game against the Braves.
Both shows have also had a revolving door of iconic Philadelphia sports legends in cameo roles. During a drunken stupor, Charlie Kelly was visited by the Eagles’ Jason Kelce and Beau Allen. They encouraged him to stick his foot in a bear trap, as part of a quixotic superstition to get the birds into the end zone. Likewise, Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts showed up in an episode of Abbott , where he encouraged a snack salesman to propose to his girlfriend, only to watch in dismay as she turned him down in front of the whole school.
LeBron James in Space Jam: A New Legacy (2021)
LeBron James has already flexed his comedy muscles with his hilarious supporting role in 2015’s Trainwreck alongside Bill Hader . Space Jam: A New Legacy highlighted James’ inability to bolster an entire feature film, but he’d certainly be good for an episode or two of either of these Philly-centric programs. I’d love to see him dunking on Jacob Hill while Janine and the other teachers point and laugh, or stop in for a quick drink at Paddy’s Pub only to get sick and miss a crucial playoff game.
For now, LeBron might be too committed to the game to place his focus on a soundstage, especially since both Always Sunn y and Abbott Elementary shoot interiors in Los Angeles. Still, if his commitment to Philly results in a championship for the city, the ensemble of both shows are sure to reference his performance in passing. I’m thinking something that echoes Mac’s “I’m not a Cowboys fan, I’m a Tony Romo fan and he retired so now I bleed green, go birds!” rant which aired back in season 13. At the very least, I’d love to see Tariq update his phone background from a poorly photoshopped picture of him shaking hands with Obama , to an image of him hitting a layup from Bron.
AIPROPX is an independent multi-source news index — we track, compare, and connect coverage from across the web into one place you won't find anywhere else.