LeBron James' extended free agency process before choosing the Philadelphia 76ers had nothing to do with attention, drama, or any hope of teaming up with friends on rosters outside his list of suitors, according to a source close to James. James was not waiting on the Golden State Warriors or another team to trade for Anthony Davis, nor was he holding out for the Dallas Mavericks to make Kyrie Irving available.

James, 41, based his decision purely on his belief that Philadelphia gave him the best chance to win a fifth championship, the source told The Athletic. Philadelphia's stunning trade for Jaylen Brown on July 1st put the team in play to sign James.

"All of it was in the service of winning a championship," said the source. "Additionally, he's had the privilege of playing for three incredible fanbases in Cleveland, Miami, and L.A., and he's excited about playing in front of the passionate fanbase in Philadelphia."

James instructed agent Rich Paul to inform the 76ers of his decision Friday morning, shortly before the announcement became public. No one in James' inner circle knew of his choice beforehand, and the other suitors did not hear from Paul in advance either.

League sources said Tyrese Maxey and Joel Embiid had aggressively pursued James over the past several weeks, placing multiple phone calls in an effort to convince him to join Philadelphia.

James is expected to view this as his final stop in the league, and sources said his basketball happiness, long cited as central to his decision, aligned directly with competing at a high level. The 76ers were not viewed by other franchises as a primary threat in the pursuit of James, but interest in Philadelphia was not new for him. A former Lakers teammate recalled James mentioning he seriously considered joining the 76ers back in 2018 before ultimately choosing Los Angeles.

Everything shifted for Philadelphia when first-year president of basketball operations Mike Gansey acquired Brown from the Celtics in exchange for Paul George and four future draft picks. Before that trade, the 76ers considered themselves longshots in the James sweepstakes.

"Now, we've got a pretty interesting roster," said a team source with knowledge of the pursuit.

Gansey previously worked in Cleveland's front office during James' second stint with the Cavaliers, spending most of that period running the team's G League affiliate before being promoted to assistant general manager in 2017. Despite that history, Gansey did not aggressively recruit James, nor did 76ers managing partner Josh Harris. Harris briefly crossed paths with James at a VIP event during Fanatics Fest in mid-July, exchanging a brief, cordial conversation without any indication of James' eventual decision.