Although the Philadelphia 76ers have played only one preseason game, rumors are already festering about LeBron James's impact on the roster. During Monday evening's preseason opener against the New York Knicks, Mike Breen said a source told him that LeBron James chastised Joel Embiid for showing up late to practice. Breen was serving as a play-by-play commentator for the Madison Square Garden Network alongside Walt “Clyde” Fraser.
"He's in great shape. He's been on the practice floor. He's worked very hard, and he looks really great. So it just surprises me that something like that came out right now."
Sixers head coach Nick Nurse on the LeBron James-Joel Embiid report.
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“They're raving about how he's been so far. Obviously, it's only a week of camp, but I had somebody tell me before the game that they were out, ready to practice…Joel Embiid walked out on the court a couple of minutes late, and LeBron let him hear it,” Breen said early in the fourth quarter of the preseason matchup.
As news of his comments circulated around social media, with video of the comments going viral on Tuesday, James took to his social media to say that the story was not true.
“He ain't been late, so stop the lies,” James said on his Instagram Story on Tuesday.
Article Continues BelowIn media availability on Wednesday, Nick Nurse also chimed in on the rumors and praised Joel Embiid for how he's approached the early season.
“I'm just surprised by what I was told before and what you guys are asking me about, because he's been excellent. He's in great shape. He's been on the practice floor. He's worked very hard, and he looks really great. It just surprises me that something like that came out right now.”