LeBron James Signing Prompted Allen Iverson to Lure Back Retired 76ers Announcer
Longtime in-stadium announcer Matt Cord announced he was coming out of retirement for LeBron James' first season with the Philadelphia 76ers.
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LeBron James, Matt Cord and Allen Iverson (Image credits - Good Morning America and Bleacher Report)
LeBron James is the biggest draw in the NBA for nearly two decades. Drafted by the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2003, he has gone on to play for multiple teams during the course of his career.
After his spells in Cleveland and Miami, James joined the Los Angeles Lakers in 2018. Many expected it to be his third and final team, but he surprised everyone by not signing with them this summer. However, the biggest surprise came a few weeks later when he joined the Philadelphia 76ers as a free agent.
Matt Cord, the longtime in-arena announcer for the 76ers, announced his retirement earlier this year. After serving in the role for 28 years, Cord decided that the 2025-26 campaign would be his last. However, he reversed course after the signing of James and what promises to be an exciting campaign in Philly.
But he recently revealed that it was a text from Allen Iverson that motivated him to come back.
The A.I. text had a lot to do with it. When LeBron announced on July 24th, a lot of text messages and I was trying to answer them. I went to bed and woke up and there was a bunch more. There was one that didn’t have a name. Its like ‘Hey, I really think you should come back for one more year. You’ve got another chapter. If you don’t, I understand. AI’. I guess I should.
Matt Cord on NBC Sports Philadelphia
"The A.I. text had a lot to do with it."
— NBC Sports Philadelphia (@NBCSPhilly) September 16, 2026
Matt Cord says on Unfiltered that a text from Allen Iverson motivated him to come back. pic.twitter.com/4q23j4EvL5
It has been 43 years since the 76ers last won a championship. The closest they came was in 2001 when Allen Iverson led them to the NBA Finals. Since then, they have not even reached the Eastern Conference Finals.
After a disappointing end to their 2025-26 campaign, the 76ers have gone all in this offseason. They first traded for Jaylen Brown from the Boston Celtics and then signed James to a two-year deal. Hence, it is not surprising to see Cord return for one more season considering the expectations and hype surrounding the franchise heading into the new campaign.
Allen Iverson welcomes back Matt Cord for LeBron James’ first season
With Cord confirming his comeback, the 76ers will have the familiar voice booming inside Xfinity Mobile Arena once again this year. The legendary announcer has served as an announcer for the 76ers for 28 years but has yet to experience a championship.
After the 76ers announced that Cord would return for his 29th and final season, Iverson welcomed Cord back in a video shared by the team.
Matt Cord, my guy. Welcome back, legend. I got so many memories of hearing you call my name in Philly. 29 years is an unbelievable run. One more season. Thank you my brother.
Allen Iverson welcoming back Matt Cord
one final season.
— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) September 16, 2026
let’s get it, @MattyCord 🫡 pic.twitter.com/uZxQEyO7UH
The video starred several others along with Iverson, including Tyrese Maxey, Joel Embiid and VJ Edgecombe. Cord said he initially believed his retirement would be permanent, but the recent acquisitions had everyone, especially Iverson, reaching out to him, which convinced him to return for his 29th year.
Can LeBron James and the 76ers give Matt Cord the perfect farewell?
LeBron James is coming off a historic 23rd season in the NBA. He averaged 20.9 points, 6.1 rebounds and 7.2 assists in 60 appearances and led the Lakers to the second round of the playoffs last season. While he may not be the player he once was, he can still produce at a high level.
Meanwhile, Brown is coming off his best individual campaign. He played an instrumental role in leading the Celtics to a second-place finish in the Eastern Conference standings. Although they were eliminated by the 76ers in the first round, he finished sixth in the MVP race last season.
Therefore, adding Brown and James to a team with Maxey and Embiid has many viewing them as the most dominant team in the league as presently constructed. So it is not surprising to see everyone excited to see the star-studded team come together next season.
The 76ers have been nowhere close to winning a title since Iverson. However, after the summer they just had, even he believes that his former team has what it takes to go all the way next year.
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Rishan Rai
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