LeBron James is looking to join a new squad after eight seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers.
The expectation is James will prioritize competing for a championship as he looks to earn a fifth NBA title. That’s why it’s hardly a surprise the Philadelphia 76ers are among the teams that have frequently been connected to the 41-year-old superstar.
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The 76ers are expected to be one of the Eastern Conference favorites for the upcoming NBA season. They added Jaylen Brown to a core that already includes Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe, so signing James would further bolster their chances of winning their first NBA title since 1983.
The Philadelphia 76ers will be among those pitching James on joining their squad, but their argument got an assist from another prominent Philadelphia athlete.
Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley made his own pitch to James at a his youth football camp at Haddonfield High School in New Jersey.
“I think it is one of the greatest sports towns in the world,” Barkley said when asked how he would pitch James on coming to Philadelphia, per NBC Sports Philadelphia. “I know [New York Knicks forward] Josh Hart said the opposite. I saw that today on Twitter. But I have to disagree with him. If you want to go out with a bang, I feel like a great spot would be in Philly, and bringing a championship to Philadelphia, you’d be remembered forever.”
Barkley knows first-hand what it means to bring a championship to Philadelphia. He helped achieve that goal in his first season with the Eagles, becoming just the ninth running back in NFL history to eclipse 2,000 yards and helping power Philadelphia to a 40-22 Super Bowl 59 win over the Kansas City Chiefs.
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As sweet as Barkley’s championship with the Eagles was, Philadelphia only had a seven-year gap between their Super Bowl wins. By comparison, the 76ers faithful have waited more than four decades for another NBA title and the team hasn’t appeared in the NBA finals since 2001.
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So Barkley has a point that James could continue to build his elite legacy with a championship in Philadelphia.
Soon enough, NBA fans will see where the 22-time All-Star decides to continue his legendary career.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Lebron in Philly? Eagles’ Saquon Barkley pitches James on joining 76ers
