Joel Embiid addressed a recent rumor claiming Philadelphia 76ers teammate LeBron James yelled at him for arriving late to practice. That story came during Monday's broadcast of the 76ers' first preseason game against the New York Knicks. During the presentation, veteran announcer Mike Breen said someone told him Embiid was a few minutes late to practice, and James "let him hear it." On Thursday night, the 76ers played in Brooklyn, with James and Embiid on the court for their first game together, along with Jaylen Brown, Tyrese Maxey, and VJ Edgecombe.
Philadelphia lost 114-108 to the Nets, but the 76ers gave everyone a glimpse of the new-look lineup as they prepare for the regular season. After the game, Embiid responded to a question regarding the earlier rumor that James yelled at him during a 76ers practice. More news: Stephen Curry Pays Tribute to ‘Iconic’ Warriors Coach Before Lakers Game "I don't know where that came from.
And then again, it's like, 'Why me?' But I guess I'm Joel Embiid, I've been in this situation," ESPN's Dave McMenamin reported on X. Embiid played 24 minutes on Thursday night, finishing with six points, three rebounds, and three assists. James played 18 minutes and scored 10 points, with five assists and four rebounds in his 76ers debut.
Following the initial rumor that James yelled at Embiid over being late to practice, the NBA superstar took to social media, posting, "He ain't been late so stop the lies." Based on James and Embiid's remarks, there's no behind-the-scenes beef. Following James' denial of the practice interaction, ESPN reported that Breen apologized earlier this week for initially mentioning the rumor that stirred things up. "I thought it would be an interesting anecdote to show LeBron's leadership already on display in Philly," Breen said, adding that he was "disappointed how the story was interpreted." "I don't know why the person who told me the story would make it up, but if LeBron says it never happened then I believe him and apologize for putting it out there," the veteran play-by-play announcer said.
Plenty of media attention will be on Philadelphia this season, as James plays for the 76ers in the final years of his career. He previously shared on his "Mind the Game" podcast that one of the reasons he chose Philly was to help Embiid win his first NBA championship after earning numerous individual accolades throughout his career. More news: Caitlin Clark Sends Clear Message on Kelsey Mitchell’s Future Amid Fever Rumors For more about the Philadelphia 76ers and the NBA, visit Newsweek Sports.
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