LeBron James is 41 years old now, and many basketball fans have spent their entire lives watching the King prove that he is capable of anything on the court.
So really, there should be no surprise that in his Philadelphia 76ers debut, James did something that most probably weren’t anticipating: He played center.
No, James didn’t start at the center position. That still belongs to Joel Embiid.
But at least for a night, James moonlighted at the 5. It’s a fascinating dimension, and one the 76ers didn’t wait to break out.
Whether or not it continues likely depends on factors beyond LeBron, but it made for a fun opening night subplot.
Why Did LeBron James Play Center?
Part of the reason the 76ers used James at center is that their logical backup, Adem Bona, entered the season dealing with an injury and is likely at less than 100%.
So rather than risk Bona with a long season ahead, the Sixers could find ways to use James on the interior instead.
James wasn’t just playing center with Embiid off the floor, though. He spent time defending the Knicks‘ Karl-Anthony Towns and Andre Drummond even when Embiid was in the game. That allowed Embiid to guard Josh Hart, who is a questionable threat as a shooter while dealing with a bad injury to his right ring finger.
In those moments, it was simply about finding the best defensive matchups.
“James’ distaste for playing defensive center spans decades because of the wear and tear,” ESPN’s Brian Windhorst wrote. “But his move there at times on Tuesday night, albeit alongside big man Joel Embiid for much of it, should be one of the biggest takeaways from the 76ers’ 106-100 win at Madison Square Garden. Not only did he play backup center at times Tuesday night, but there were numerous possessions where James defended Knicks’ center Karl-Anthony Towns, with Embiid sliding to guard Josh Hart. It enabled the 76ers to better defend Towns in the pick-and-roll. James also made plays as a basket defender, including during his pivotal late-game block on Mikal Bridges.”
76ers Not Holding Back
James and the 76ers mounted a comeback to beat the Knicks to open the season.
And in showing the LeBron center look right away, it proved these Sixers aren’t waiting to acclimate to one another.
“Common sense dictates that James won’t play 34 minutes as he did Tuesday; nor play this much center over the long haul of the season,” Windhorst writes. “But Game 1 revealed both the role James is willing to play for Philadelphia and a willingness from coach Nick Nurse to get creative right away.”
LeBron and the 76ers might get just one crack at a title together. If that’s the case, they don’t seem like they’re going to waste any time making the most of this opportunity.
Why LeBron James Played Center in 76ers Debut