Joel Embiid has spent years dealing with criticism over his availability, professionalism, and leadership in Philadelphia. Now, a report involving his new teammate, LeBron James, has dragged those old narratives back into the spotlight, even after James disputed the claim and broadcaster Mike Breen apologized.
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With the 76ers trying to build chemistry around their new stars, the situation left Embiid wondering why his name keeps getting drawn into these controversies.
ESPN’s Dave McMenamin reported after the Sixers’ 114-108 preseason loss to the Brooklyn Nets that Embiid addressed the report that James had reprimanded him for arriving late to practice.
“One, I had a question that I had. I was like, ‘Why me?’ Those types of things. I can’t understand,” Embiid said.
“One, it’s not true, but then again, it’s like, ‘Why me?’ But then again, I guess I’m Joel Embiid. I’ve been in that situation. I don’t normally talk when it comes to that stuff. So, it feels like I’m an easy target. As long as we know we are, we just gotta stick together.”
It all began with Mike Breen.
He brought up the incident during the Sixers’ October 5 preseason opener against the Knicks. He said a trusted source had told him that Joel Embiid arrived a couple of minutes late to practice and that LeBron James called him out for it.
The report quickly drew attention, especially with the two stars beginning the first season as teammates in Philadelphia.
LeBron James responded on Instagram the following day, posting a cap emoji before writing, “He ain’t been late so stop the lies.”
Breen subsequently apologized via ESPN’s report, saying he believed James’ denial and regretted how the story had placed Embiid under scrutiny. His intention, he explained, had been to praise James’ influence on Philadelphia professionalism.
The episode immediately drew a connection with an older incident.
In November 2024, Tyrese Maxey reportedly challenged Joel Embiid during a team meeting over repeated lateness to team activities. Embiid said he appreciated the internal criticism, recognizing that teammates needed to hold one another accountable.
What angered him was the leak.
After details of the meeting reached the media, Embiid called the person responsible a “real piece of sh**.” He also argued that the discussion about his lateness lasted only about 40 seconds in a much longer conversation about the team’s problems.
He objected to private criticism becoming a public storyline. That history helps explain why this latest report struck a nerve.
Even after LeBron James denied the account and Breen apologized, Joel Embiid was again answering questions about his professionalism instead of discussing his basketball.
The scenes during the Nets game offered a different picture. Cameras caught Bron and The Process laughing together on the bench. And the pair went through their personalized handshake. Their interaction gave no obvious indication of a fractured relationship.
Philadelphia still lost 114-108, but the game gave its new-look starting group valuable time together. With James, Joel Embiid, Jaylen Brown and Tyrese Maxey expected to carry much of the offensive responsibility, building familiarity matters as much as sorting out the rotation. The preseason is giving Nick Nurse a chance to work through combinations before the games start counting.
The next test comes Saturday, October 10, when Philadelphia visits the Boston Celtics at TD Garden. The matchup carries added interest for Brown, who will face his former team for the first time since Boston traded him to the 76ers during the offseason.
For Joel Embiid and LeBron James, it is another chance to develop their on-court connection. The report has already been challenged, and Breen has apologized. Embiid’s response makes clear that he wants the team to focus on basketball.
He doesn’t want to allow another disputed story to define the relationship inside the locker room.