Basketball’s most iconic dog, Air Bud, has weighed in on LeBron James’ decision to join the Philadelphia 76ers.
In a video circulating on Instagram, a golden retriever named, affectionately nicknamed Buddy was asked by IGN what he thought about LeBron joining the Sixers. “Woof, woof,” the dog loudly replied, to which the interviewer called the response “very well said.”
The fictional golden retriever is the star of the Disney franchise, which goes back to 1997. While the original dog actor died in 1998, the new Air Bud has two alternate versions, Charlie and Summer, according to Variety.
LeBron announced the move last Friday (July 24), posting on X that he "still truly love[s] this game" and has "more to give” to the NBA. The four-time championship winner called it his "last decision," writing, "I'm not going for money. I'm not going for family... I still want to sacrifice. I still want to work. I still want to grind. I still want to compete, to win and to have a chance at the feeling of winning another championship."
The financial terms back that up. After earning nearly $53 million with the Los Angeles Lakers during the 2025-2026 season, James signed a two-year, $8 million deal with a player option. He enters his record 24th NBA season in Philadelphia beginning October 20th.
More reactions about LeBron’s decision have poured in across sports and pop culture, including Gilbert Arenas, Caitlin Clark and President Donald Trump, who went to the extreme and called the athlete “racist.”
