NEW YORK (AP) — LeBron James looks set to make a big impact on the Philadelphia 76ers, and the NBA's career scoring leader may not even need to shoot much to do it.
James made his first appearance with his new team Thursday night, getting started on the expected final stop in his career. He did a little bit of everything in the first half of the 76ers' exhibition game against the Brooklyn Nets.
James, who joined the 76ers this summer for his NBA-record 24th season, had 10 points, five assists and four rebounds in the first half, helping the 76ers to a 58-56 lead.
The 41-year-old forward was credited with only one shot from the field in 18 minutes, though was fouled four times and made all eight free throws. James didn't even attempt a shot until he was fouled on a drive to the basket with 4:54 remaining in the first quarter. But with Philadelphia's firepower, he won't need to look for his offense very much.
The 76ers got a first look at the potent lineup they put together this summer. James and fellow All-Star newcomer Jaylen Brown started with holdovers Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe.
Maxey scored 14 points, the other starters had at least six and the basketball was sharp at times.
The 76ers missed their first shot when James threw a pass low toward Embiid's feet. The 7-footer caught it awkwardly but was off-balance and shot an airball on a turnaround jumper.
Philadelphia then made its next seven shots, with James finding open men himself or on one possession slipping a pass to Embiid, who moved it to Brown for a dunk.
Coach Nick Nurse said he expected to play his starters about half the game, though Embiid was still on the floor to start the second half with Brown and Edgecombe. Most of them sat out a victory over the New York Knicks in their preseason opener on Monday.
James spent the last eight seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers before signing a two-year deal with the 76ers for the league minimum.
The new guy seemed already in charge in his new locker room, turning the music on loud when he returned from a pregame workout to continue getting ready. His blue 76ers uniform sat folded on the floor next to his chair.
The 76ers have two remaining preseason games, both against the Boston Celtics, who traded Brown to Philadelphia shortly before James signed. The Sixers play their season opener on Oct. 20 in New York, where the Knicks will raise the banner to celebrate their NBA championship.
See AP’s full NBA coverage here
Philadelphia 76ers' LeBron James warms up before a preseason NBA basketball game against the Brooklyn Nets, Thursday, Oct. 8, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Pamela Smith)
Philadelphia 76ers' LeBron James looks on before a preseason NBA basketball game against the Brooklyn Nets, Thursday, Oct. 8, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Pamela Smith)
Philadelphia 76ers' LeBron James warms up before a preseason NBA basketball game against the Brooklyn Nets, Thursday, Oct. 8, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Pamela Smith)
Several explosions were heard in the Saudi capital on Thursday, including one at the Riyadh airport that halted flights, a witness said. Yemen's Iran-backed Houthis claimed the blast came from one of their ballistic missiles.
Meanwhile, Britain says it demoted its consulate in east Jerusalem to a mission and that 20 diplomats will leave the country and Israel honored six passengers on the Sept. 30 FlyDubai flight that the co-pilot tried to crash as heroes.
Here is the latest news from the Middle East on Thursday. Read our full coverage here.
A witness says several explosions were heard in Riyadh on Thursday, including a large blast at the city’s international airport.
Iran-backed Houthi rebels in neighboring Yemen claimed the new attack on Riyadh's King Khalid International Airport, saying a ballistic missile caused damage. They provided no evidence, and the Saudis had no immediate comment about the claim.
Fire and ambulance crews were deployed and smoke was visible, the witness said.
The witness said that outgoing flights were halted, and that passengers were instructed to evacuate the airport. It was not immediately clear how many flights were disrupted, but the witness said the terminal was crowded with passengers and that people were instructed to leave all checked-in luggage behind.
The witness spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media.
— By Josef Federman
An Israeli military officer was killed and three soldiers suffered minor injuries when their vehicle overturned in southern Lebanon on Thursday, the military said.
The vehicle overturned during an operation in the Litani area. The military said it was reviewing the incident.
Israeli troops remain in parts of southern Lebanon despite U.S.-mediated talks aimed at securing their withdrawal and Hezbollah’s disarmament. The militant group has refused to disarm, while Israel continues to carry out strikes in southern Lebanon.
Israeli strikes that followed warnings in Gaza City and southern Gaza killed two people, including a child, on Thursday evening, local health officials said.
A strike on a house in Gaza City’s Sabra neighborhood killed a woman and a child and wounded 10 other people, while another strike elsewhere in the city wounded six, officials at Shifa and Al-Ahli hospitals said.
The Israeli military did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the Gaza City warnings, and it was unclear what the strikes targeted.
In southern Gaza, Israel’s military said it “struck several weapons storage facilities” after issuing evacuation warnings. No casualties were reported.
Britain said it had reached an agreement with Israel's government to downgrade its consulate in east Jerusalem, and a small team of diplomats will continue to operate in what will now be known as the U.K. Mission.
Israel's government said last month it would close the consulate in response to the United Kingdom banning trade with Israeli settlements in the West Bank.
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said in a statement that the consulate had “ceased to function as a consulate.” He said 20 British diplomats will leave Israel, and that the building will continue to operate with seven diplomats engaged in limited activity.
“Israel will no longer turn its cheek to diplomatic attacks against it," he said.
British Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband denied the building will close. Miliband said the seven diplomats remaining at the U.K. Mission will continue to work with Palestinians, but gave no details.
Israeli President Isaac Herzog honored six passengers Thursday for helping save lives aboard a FlyDubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv on Sept. 30.
Officials said a co-pilot on the plane attacked the captain and tried to crash the flight. The wounded captain managed to open the cockpit door, allowing a group of passengers and crew members to take control and land safely.
The six passengers received the Presidential Award for Civilian Heroism at a ceremony in Jerusalem.
“By following the example of today’s honorees and heroes, we can make our world a safer place,” Herzog said.
Zvika Manes said his daughters’ cries prompted him to act. “Every father and every parent, when they hear that cry, acts without thinking to try to save lives,” he said.
The other recipients were Tali Manes, Yaniv Hayoun, Dr. Shota Musayev, Asaf Rajuan and Or Pardilov.
The Trump administration on Thursday sanctioned 17 tankers it accuses the Iranian government of relying on to move billions of dollars worth of oil and gas to foreign markets. The U.S. Treasury actions are the latest push as part of Washington’s punishing economic campaign against Tehran.
“Treasury is starving the tyrannical regime in Tehran of the money it uses to wage war in the region, and we will continue exposing those who enable the regime’s oil sales,” U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in a news release.
The U.S. has alleged that the tankers are part of a shadow network helping to fund Iran’s powerful Revolutionary Guard and its armed proxies in the region.
This report will be updated throughout the day as new developments emerge.
Barricades block the main road leading to British Consulate after the sign outside the consulate was taken down, in east Jerusalem, Thursday, Oct. 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Mahmoud Illean)
A car enters the British Consulate after the sign outside the consulate was taken down, in east Jerusalem, Thursday, Oct. 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Mahmoud Illean)
A mosque's minaret and buildings are seen in the West Bank village of Abu Dis behind the Israel's separation wall near Jerusalem, Monday, Oct. 5, 2026. (AP Photo/Leo Correa)
