The speculations about where LeBron James will play next have been ramping up even before he appeared on Thursday at the Fanatics Fest in New York. He has been heavily linked to the Miami Heat, the Philadelphia 76ers, and the Cleveland Cavaliers three weeks into free agency.
Although James refused to announce his next team, a photo of where his daughter, Zhuri James, could attend school for the 2026-27 term has become viral.
LeBron James to the 76ers? The Truth Behind the Viral Philadelphia School Rumor
There is a photo of The Baldwin School of Arts & Sciences showing the incoming 6th Grade enrollment list. 10th on that list is Zhuri, whose parents are indicated as “L.James / S. James.”
BREAKING: Photo surfacing appears to show LeBron James enrolled his child in a school in Philadelphia😳 pic.twitter.com/4PigSSJ6ar
— Full Time Sports (@FullTimeSprts) July 16, 2026
While many jumped to the conclusion that this was the biggest hint yet about where the four-time MVP will play next, some pointed out that it was fake. An X user emphatically debunked this photo:
“It’s AI
“The number is a 555 number, which is a fake number since AI is not permitted to generate real phone numbers.”
The number is a 555 number which is a fake number since AI is not permitted to generate real phone numbers pic.twitter.com/Q2V57kubWC
— Dr. Greek Heat (@DocRobandino820) July 16, 2026
More importantly, during his appearance on Thursday’s Game Plan, James shared that he had a conversation with his daughter.
”I pulled her to the side, and I was like, ‘Baby, I’m letting you know. I don’t want you to hear from nobody else, but I won’t be playing for the Lakers next year. I will be playing somewhere else,” James said via ESPN’s Dave McMenamin.
“I won’t be home all the time. And you may not have an answer right now. You can give me an answer now. We can wait; we can write it down. I just want to know how you felt about it because you mean a lot to me. Me being away from you means a lot.”
The Baldwin School is located in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, roughly 14 miles west of Philadelphia. James likely wouldn’t have recalled that talk with Zhuri had he intended to uproot her from the Sierra Canyon School in Los Angeles and take her with him.
The 22-time All-Star can stay out West to remain close to his family. He could take his talents to the Bay Area and team up with Stephen Curry, Draymond Green, and Jimmy Butler. If he goes to Golden State, the NBA’s all-time scoring king will only be approximately 1 or 1.5 hours away from Los Angeles.
James also has the option of going to the Minnesota Timberwolves and form a three-headed monster with Anthony Edwards and LaMelo Ball. Minnesota is a little farther compared to Golden State, but not as far as Philly.
