The side of Garage bar at 100 E. Girard Ave. in Fishtown has a new look this week: LeBron James, arms spread wide in his No. 23 Sixers jersey, facing down the Philadelphia skyline. The massive new piece replaces the Phillies' beloved “Daycare” mural, which had covered that same wall since 2024.
According to PhillyVoice, the painting that came down featured the Phillies' “Daycare” trio of Alec Bohm, Brandon Marsh and Bryson Stott. That design was installed by artist Jimmy McMenamin, also known as Glossblack, in September 2024, and it had itself replaced an earlier mural of former Sixer Matisse Thybulle that went up in 2021, per the same outlet. The Phillies had once called the Daycare piece the best piece of artwork to ever come out of a daycare, according to NBC Philadelphia.
Nike's Fingerprints Are All Over the New Design
The new James mural was commissioned by Nike, according to The Philadelphia Inquirer. The Inquirer notes Nike had commissioned artist Chuck Styles for the job, and he told 6ABC, “For me to be commissioned by Nike to do this mural,” describing the opportunity in a video posted by 6ABC.
Per the Inquirer, the mural was created by Styles alongside Liam McWilliams, also known as 4am Somewhere, with the design depicting James performing his signature chalk toss from atop the Art Museum steps, framed by the Philadelphia skyline and local landmarks. The piece also carries the tagline “Chosen 2-One-5,” a nod to Philadelphia's area code, which Nike has reused at its Fashion District pop-up store and in a new ad campaign, the Inquirer reports.
An Upper Darby Native Gets the Call
Styles, an Upper Darby native, told the Inquirer the depiction was intentionally loose and painterly rather than literal. He was excited about creating the mural.
Not everyone was sold right away. Styles said some people wondered why James already had a mural, according to the Inquirer, though he estimated about 80% of the reception had been very positive.
Fishtown Piece Is One of Several Tributes Across the City
The Fishtown mural is one of three that have gone up in honor of James since he signed with the 76ers, as reported by PhillyVoice. 6ABC similarly counted at least three LeBron-themed murals that have appeared across the city. The Inquirer reports that Philadelphia artists created a mirrored mosaic of James just days after he signed, and another mural around the city depicted James alongside Benjamin Franklin in a composition echoing his famous photo with Dwyane Wade.
The outpouring of murals has tracked a broader surge of enthusiasm for the retooled Sixers. 6ABC reported that home-opener ticket prices were eight times higher than they were the previous year, per TickPick, and that 13% of sales for Thursday's home opener against the Cleveland Cavaliers occurred overnight, after the Sixers' Tuesday win over the Knicks.
