For months, the Philadelphia 76ers’ new stars talked about playing together.
Now there is finally a picture of them putting in the work.
Trainer Chris Johnson gave Sixers fans an enticing offseason glimpse Wednesday, posting photos of LeBron James, Jaylen Brown and Tyrese Maxey training together as Philadelphia prepares to enter a season carrying championship-or-bust expectations.
“New era, new energy,” Johnson wrote on Instagram, tagging all three players.
It is only an August workout, but the significance is difficult to miss. Brown and James were Philadelphia’s two seismic offseason additions. Maxey helped recruit James to join them.
Now three of the central figures in the Sixers’ transformation are sharing a gym before training camp even begins.
Tyrese Maxey Helped Bring LeBron James to Philadelphia 76ers
Maxey’s presence alongside James is hardly surprising.
The two have trained together during previous offseasons, and Maxey acknowledged recently that he personally pitched James on Philadelphia.
“I hit him and was like, ‘Yo, pull up, I think we got a good chance. I feel like you can help us,’” Maxey said on Numbers On The Board podcast, adding that they spoke three or four times during the recruiting process.
NBA TV insider Chris Haynes reported Maxey was “relentless,” repeatedly calling and texting James and making clear he was prepared to sacrifice his own game to make the partnership work.
The admiration predates James’ arrival.
After the Lakers played Philadelphia last December, James raved about Maxey’s development and character. The two had already been offseason workout partners for years.
“I love his game, but I love him the person more than anything,” James said then.
That relationship suddenly matters much more now that James will be feeding Maxey the ball rather than trying to stop him.
Jaylen Brown, LeBron James Turn Mutual Respect Into Partnership
Brown had his own hand in the recruitment.
Before James made his decision, Brown publicly encouraged him to “pull up to Philly” during an appearance with streamer IShowSpeed.
Once James signed, Brown made clear how much he valued the opportunity.
“I’m super excited for this upcoming season,” Brown said during a livestream, describing playing alongside James as an opportunity to learn from one of basketball’s greatest players.
James’ respect for Brown goes back much further.
When Brown was a rookie, James told him he would someday become an All-Star and “a great player.” Nearly a decade later, James endorsed Brown’s MVP candidacy during the 2025-26 season, questioning why Brown wasn’t receiving more consideration for the award.
Brown has since emphasized that Philadelphia’s collection of stars guarantees nothing. He said sacrifice, communication and work will determine whether the experiment succeeds.
Johnson’s photos won’t answer those questions.
They do, however, provide the first tangible glimpse of what Philadelphia spent the summer assembling.
James. Brown. Maxey.
Not posing at an introductory news conference, but sweating through an offseason workout together.
For Sixers fans waiting to see whether all that star power can become something more, it was a tantalizing start.
76ers Fans Get First Look at LeBron James, Jaylen Brown, Tyrese Maxey Together