The Philadelphia 76ers were able to add LeBron James in free agency. They signed him to a two-year deal worth around $8 million. That was the minimum that he could have signed for. He did so to try to win a title before ending his career.
James is not living in Philadelphia, however. He is commuting there while living in New York instead. He is doing so via helicopter. One writer believes that fans are afraid for him after seeing the parallels between James and the late Kobe Bryant.
Fans Have Fears With 76ers’ LeBron James Taking a Helicopter
According to Jason Lloyd of The Athletic, fans are fearful of James having a tragic death involving a helicopter, just as Kobe Bryant did.
“The fog rolled in thick, and the clouds hung low over the hills west of Los Angeles that Sunday morning. Kobe Bryant was in a helicopter with his 13-year-old daughter, Gianna, and seven others, headed to a basketball game. The aircraft flew into a hillside in Calabasas, and everyone aboard died. That’s what people felt this week when they heard the rotors. Not logic. Memory,” wrote Lloyd.
Lloyd believes that there are fans who are silently afraid that James will suffer the same cruel fate as Bryant. James has decided to take a 45- minute helicopter ride to commute to the practice facility instead of a two-hour car ride. As Lloyd notes, helicopter rides are incredibly safe for the vast majority of the public.
However, Lloyd points to the parallels between James and Bryant as one of the big reasons why these fears have been stoked.
“The night before Kobe’s death, LeBron passed him for third on the all-time scoring list. In Philadelphia, Kobe’s hometown. Kobe’s last tweet congratulated James. Now, LeBron plays for Philadelphia. And he leaves practice in a helicopter. So yes, it’s easy to get the chills on this one,” notes Lloyd.
LeBron James Will Continue to Commute via Helicopter During His Time With the Sixers
James clearly has no fears about using a chopper to get to and from where he needs to go. He is more focused on helping the 76ers win their first title in 50 years. He believes that he is the last piece to a team that made some big changes in the offseason.
The trade to land Jaylen Brown was the big thing that swayed James to choose Philly. He will likely be the fourth-best player on the Sixers with Brown joining the roster. That is a good role for him at this stage in his career, as he is 41 years old.
Last year, the 76ers were ranked 16th in offense. James should help them raise that number. If his shorter commute in a helicopter helps him get more work done on the basketball court, fans will likely think it’s worth it.
Worries About 76ers’ LeBron James Parallel With Kobe Bryant Appear After Helicopter Choice