LeBron James arrived in Philadelphia blue on Monday, beginning his 24th NBA season in a uniform no one had seen him wear before. The league’s all-time scoring leader shared the 76ers’ Media Day stage with Jaylen Brown, putting a sharp visual on an offseason that has reshaped contenders across both conferences.
James said he is prepared to fill whatever role Philadelphia needs to chase wins. The early rapport with Tyrese Maxey was already part of the room’s conversation: Maxey joked that he is not James’ workout partner — James is his. Rookie VJ Edgecombe also got a quick lesson in team dynamics, with Maxey helping him figure out how to get James into the group chat.
New stars settle into new rooms
Philadelphia was hardly alone in unveiling a different look. Giannis Antetokounmpo made his first Media Day appearance with Miami, linking up with Bam Adebayo and praising the Heat big man’s nightly motor.
“He is one of the league’s best two-way players,” Antetokounmpo said of Adebayo. “He never takes a night off.”
In Minnesota, LaMelo Ball was introduced alongside Anthony Edwards. Ball said their personalities clicked quickly, calling Edwards “cool, confident and outgoing” and describing him as a brother.
Kawhi Leonard returned to Toronto, where he reunited with Scottie Barnes and revisited the famous laugh that followed his Raptors introduction nearly a decade ago. Leonard led Toronto to the franchise’s only championship in 2019. Barnes also shared a lighter Media Day moment with local reporter Sean Leathong after their viral interaction last week.
Other prominent moves came into focus around the league: Paul George joined Jayson Tatum in Boston, while Ja Morant reported to Portland. The Knicks, meanwhile, brought back a championship core that still includes Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart. Brunson had hosted Saturday Night Live the previous week, and Hart threw the first pitch at Yankee Stadium on his bobblehead night. Hart’s verdict on Brunson’s acting prospects was blunt: “I don’t think he has a future in acting.”
Contenders talk about unfinished business
Victor Wembanyama enters his fourth season with San Antonio carrying the sting of an NBA Finals loss, one that left the Spurs three victories short of the championship. His message was that the group intends to use those emotions rather than avoid them.
“We are in a great spot,” Wembanyama said. “We are hopeful, ambitious and ready.”
Oklahoma City, eliminated by the Spurs in Game 7 of the Western Conference finals, expects a healthier Jalen Williams to change its ceiling. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander called Williams an All-NBA-caliber player capable of scoring and defending every position after an injury-hit 2025-26 campaign.
Tyrese Haliburton said he is fully healthy after missing last season with a torn Achilles. Stephen Curry reported after signing a two-year extension with Golden State, while Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves brought some midseason-style back-and-forth to their Media Day session. Nikola Jokić also kept up his familiar Media Day card-playing routine in Denver.
Rookies get their first league-wide introduction
The 2026 draft class moved from Summer League into its first official NBA Media Day. No. 1 overall pick AJ Dybantsa begins in Washington with Trae Young and Anthony Davis among his veteran teammates. Davis said Dybantsa possesses every tool needed to succeed and called the rookie’s talent special.
Dybantsa did not sound burdened by the expectations that follow the top pick. Asked about the pressure of his first year, he answered simply: “None.”
No. 4 pick Caleb Wilson has already sampled Chicago’s appetite for its teams. He visited Wrigley Field over the summer with Bulls teammate Matas Buzelis and Bears quarterback Caleb Williams, and the trio drew attention while supporting Pete Crow-Armstrong and the Cubs.
“I learned Chicago really cares about its athletes and about winning,” Wilson said. “I can really play for that.”
Golden State rookie Yaxel Lendeborg comes in with a winning résumé, having captured a national championship at Michigan before helping the Warriors claim the Summer League title. He earned Championship Game MVP honors, though he will now share a locker room with Draymond Green, a Michigan State product who brought some college-rivalry talk to their first Media Day together.
Elsewhere among the top selections, No. 2 pick Darryn Peterson took the stage in Utah, No. 3 pick Cameron Boozer checked in with Memphis, and No. 6 selection Mikel Brown Jr. began his Brooklyn chapter.
Three new coaches outline their first plans
Six teams will open 2026-27 under new head coaches. Three are getting their first NBA head-coaching assignment: Dusty May in Dallas, Micah Nori in Portland and Sean Sweeney in Orlando.
May arrives after winning a national championship at Michigan and said the core requirements for winning do not change by level. He wants Dallas to compete and to play as a connected group.
Nori sees Portland’s depth as a way to increase its defensive pressure and physicality, but he stressed that the Trail Blazers must rebound at a high rate. Sweeney’s stated standard in Orlando is equally clear: a competitive, connected and tough team in every area.
Training camp opens as preseason schedule takes shape
Training camps open Tuesday, one day after 28 teams held Media Day. Preseason begins Saturday, Oct. 3, when Miami faces Toronto in Quebec City in the NBA Canada Game at 7 p.m. ET on NBA TV. That matchup starts a 67-game preseason slate spread across 14 days.
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| Oct. 3 | Heat vs. Raptors, Quebec City, 7 p.m. ET, NBA TV |
| Oct. 4 | Warriors vs. Clippers, Honolulu, 7 p.m. ET |
| Oct. 9 and Oct. 11 | Mavericks vs. Rockets, NBA China Games in Macao |
| Oct. 10 | Clippers vs. Raptors, Vancouver, 6:30 p.m. ET |
| Oct. 16 | Preseason concludes |
| Oct. 19 | Opening-day rosters due by 5 p.m. ET |
| Oct. 20 | Regular season opens with an NBC/Peacock tripleheader |
The Oct. 20 opening-night schedule has Boston visiting Detroit at 3 p.m. ET, Philadelphia traveling to New York at 7 p.m. ET, and Oklahoma City meeting San Antonio at 9:30 p.m. ET.
Before the NBA calendar turns to camp, the WNBA playoffs have two potential first-round elimination games Monday night. Las Vegas visits Indiana at 6:30 p.m. ET on Prime, while Minnesota plays at New York at 8:30 p.m. ET on USA and CNBC. The Aces and Liberty each hold 1-0 leads in their best-of-three series, while the Fever and Lynx are trying to extend their matchups to a deciding Game 3.
