What happened: LeBron James completed pregame preparations on Friday ahead of an East Group B matchup against the defending tournament champions. The contest marks the start of the 2026 tournament group stage.

Why it matters: Group stage standings and point differential determine seeding for the eight-team single-elimination knockout stage in December. Winning early pool games provides a direct path to advancing out of group play without relying on wild-card tiebreakers.

What to watch: East Group B play continues through November to determine quarterfinal qualifiers.