The Philadelphia 76ers Media Day showed a glimpse of their revamped team this offseason, and from the outside looking in, they look like a formidable force. Sometimes what you see on paper isn’t how things will actually work out, and this team has some big names who all want to play their own way. Every team has its leader, but who will play that role on a team with as much talent as this one?
Joel Embiid has been there the longest, but isn’t the best vocal leader; Tyrese Maxey has been the team’s best player over the past two seasons, but is still kind of young. Jaylen Brown has shown he can lead a team, but it’s different when there are this many mouths to feed, and LeBron James, who is probably the best fit for the role, might think he’s too late in his career to have to handle that role.
Philadelphia 76ers Media Day showed us that even the players don’t want to address who the real leader of the squad is. A reporter asked Brown who would be the primary “alpha” player on the star-studded roster and whether that hierarchy dynamic mattered. Brown’s response was “next question”, as the room went silent for a bit. Brown avoided biting on media narratives or engaging in a locker room hierarchy debate.
It’s hard to imagine a team with all of this talent not working out, but they need to have a voice to rely on when adversity strikes, and right now the team doesn’t know who that’ll be. Maxey has the attitude and energy you look for in a leader, but experience plays a vital part in leading a team effectively. On a team with experienced veterans like James, who is entering his 24th season, why would he let a player who’s only 25 years old lead his team?
They have built a close bond as friends and workout partners ever since Maxey entered the NBA. Both James and Maxey share the same agency, represented by Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul. James has frequently praised Maxey’s unmatched work ethic, dedication, and joyful attitude, noting that their connection stretches far beyond the basketball court.
With James turning 42 in December, he could very well let Maxey lead this team, as he has been the past couple of years. Embiid showed up to media day having dropped a considerable amount of weight, which shows he’s ready and willing to sacrifice to win. The only one that could end up hurting the team because of his ego is Brown, as he sort of did the same thing in Boston with Jayson Tatum. Brown has stated that he’s willing to sacrifice for the good of the team and has proven he can do that, like in 2024 when his scoring numbers dropped because of new additions.
While a vocal leader isn’t a necessity, a leader is, and we’ll find out the answer to that question as the new season progresses. The likely answer to the question is Maxey, as his positive attitude should help uplift his teammates all season long. It also wouldn’t be surprising if James starts to handle some of that pressure in the Playoffs, as he’s been there and done that a numerous amount of times. No matter who steps into that role for this team, a starting lineup of Maxey, VJ Edgecombe, Brown, James, and Embiid will be a force to reckon with for any team in the league to face.
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