LeBron James gets news of ‘1-in-400-million’ bad luck incident that ruins teammate’s new house
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope’s Philadelphia arrival got off to an unbelievable start
T hey say there is no such thing as good or bad luck, just luck . But when you find out your new penthouse was struck by lightning and that the chances of an event like that happening were reportedly 1 in 400 million , you might start reconsidering that idea.
If LeBron James is superstitious, he might want to keep an eye on the luck of Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, his new teammate in Philadelphia . But if he prefers to look at the positive side, he can also take the bizarre incident as a sign that the Sixers’ luck could eventually work in their favor.
A nightmare welcome to Philadelphia
Caldwell-Pope’s new Philadelphia penthouse was struck by lightning just minutes after his wife, McKenzie, signed the lease , triggering a chaotic situation inside the building.
The strike caused flooding, disabled the elevators and forced the family to walk down 14 flights of stairs to safety. The couple’s movers had not yet finished bringing their belongings upstairs when they became trapped inside an elevator that was disabled by the lightning strike . Firefighters eventually had to rescue them.
Hours later, an electrician inspecting the damage gave the family an explanation that made the situation even more surreal: the unit had been struck by lightning in a way that reportedly had a 1-in-400-million chance of happening.
Caldwell-Pope’s new chapter could still bring better luck
The incident made for an unforgettable welcome to the city for Caldwell-Pope, who arrived in Philadelphia after agreeing to a buyout with the Memphis Grizzlies and signing a one-year, $3.8 million contract with the 76ers.
The move also reunites him with former Lakers teammate LeBron James, adding another familiar connection as Caldwell-Pope begins his new chapter in Philadelphia. That unusual stroke of luck can also be looked at from another perspective. After all, the lightning strike already beat incredible odds . Now, according to various prediction markets, the Philadelphia 76ers’ chances of winning the NBA championship during the 2026-27 season currently sit between 10% and 13% across the major prediction markets.
As long as that probability is not a definitive zero , LeBron can trust that the math, luck and probability could eventually line up in their favor. The lightning strike already proved that something with a 1-in-400-million chance can happen, so nothing is absolutely impossible.
