Tony Wroten grew up in the Central District, dominated at Garfield High School, starred at UW and first uttered one of the NBA's most enduring catchphrases.

"Trust the Process" trended across social media on July 24, after LeBron James announced he was signing a two-year, $8 million veteran-minimum contract with the Philadelphia 76ers. The phrase has defined the franchise for more than a decade.

It was Wroten, the Garfield and UW basketball product, who first said it publicly in a 2015 ESPN story by Pablo Torre about the 76ers' rebuilding plan.

"They tell us every game, every day, 'Trust the Process,'" Wroten said in that interview. "Just continue to build."

Wroten averaged 25 points, 7.5 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game in his senior season at Garfield. He was the No. 14 recruit in the country and committed to his hometown Huskies, where he earned Pac-12 Freshman of the Year honors and averaged nearly 17 points per game in his only college season. The Memphis Grizzlies drafted him 25th overall in 2012, and he was traded to Philadelphia shortly after.

In the 2014-15 season, Wroten averaged a career-best 16.9 points per game and earned a starting role with the 76ers before a torn ACL in his right knee ended his season and, ultimately, his NBA career.

The phrase outlived his time on the court. In a 2017 video reflecting on his role in popularizing it, Wroten said he used the abbreviation "TTP" constantly with teammates and acknowledged the organization played a part in making it stick.

James invoked the motto at Fanatics Fest in New York in mid-July, telling the crowd he wanted to join a franchise focused on "trusting the process more than anything." Fans and media immediately read it as a Philadelphia hint.

James later said he had been using the phrase since 2003.

A week later, he was a 76er. He joins Joel Embiid, nicknamed "The Process," along with Jaylen Brown and Tyrese Maxey on a roster chasing Philadelphia's first NBA title since 1983. James, entering his 24th season, took the minimum deal to compete for a championship.

The Garfield-to-pro pipeline Wroten represents continues. Brandon Roy, the former NBA All-Star and UW alumnus, coaches boys basketball at Garfield.

Markelle Fultz, another former UW star drafted No. 1 overall by Philadelphia in 2017, is a free agent after an injury-shortened season. The Central District keeps producing players who shape the league.