PHILADELPHIA — LeBron James fired back at the report that said Joel Embiid was late to a Philadelphia 76ers practice.
During the 76ers-New York Knicks preseason game on Monday (10/5) in Philadelphia, MSG’s Mike Breen said someone told him that James yelled at Embiid for being late to practice.
LeBron came out and refuted this story tonight on Instagram: https://t.co/djV7zfAURx
— Kyle Neubeck (@KyleNeubeck) October 7, 2026
Here is what Breen said during the 76ers-Knicks game:
“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, and Joel Embiid walked out on the court a couple of minutes late, and LeBron let him hear it.”
James and Embiid didn’t play against the Knicks. The 76ers have three games left in the preseason before the season opener against New York Madison Square Garden on October 20.
LeBron Signed With 76ers To Help Embiid
On the latest episode of his podcast with Hall of Famer Steve Nash, James spoke about his decision to sign a two-year deal with the 76ers.
While James talked about his tight relationship with Tyrese Maxey and how the blockbuster Jaylen Brown trade was an “intriguing piece,” the NBA legend’s desire to help Embiid win a championship played a significant role.
“One of the most important, to be honest, is the big fella,” James said. “He’s done everything in our league, and the only thing he has not done and that’s win a championship. And I want to try to help him get that first one. He’s been MVP of our league, has a gold medal, All-Stars, signature shoes, bunch of money, beautiful family, he has everything.
“He has the city on his back. It’s been the process, you know, for what, 10 years, 12 years or however long he’s been there. But I mean, I think it’s time now that we even dig even deeper into the process, and I hope that I can be kind of that final little piece that can help him get over the hump.”
James and Embiid were teammates on Team USA in the summer of 2024. The two All-Stars helped the United States win the gold medal against France in Paris.
Embiid, 32, is a seven-time All-Star, two-time scoring champion and one-time MVP.
Meanwhile, James is arguably the best player of all time. He’s a four-time MVP, four-time champion, four-time Finals MVP, one-time scoring champion and one-time assists champion.
The 41-year-old James is first in NBA history in points, field goals, games and minutes. The veteran turns 42 in December. He’s the oldest active player in the NBA.
Embiid Reacted To LeBron’s Comments
During an interview with Malika Andrews of ESPN, Embiid opened up about James saying he signed with the 76ers to help him win his first championship.
Embiid has never advanced past the second round of the playoffs, while James has been to 10 NBA Finals.
“You’re talking about one of the greatest players who ever played, if not the greatest,” Embiid said. “To have him say that, it kind of validates, not so much what I’ve accomplished, but the way my peers might think about me. I’m at the point in my career where I need to win. Between everything that’s happened, that would be a good ending for the city of Philadelphia. And they deserve it.”
Philadelphia has a talented starting lineup of Embiid, James, Brown, Maxey and VJ Edgecombe. The 76ers haven’t advanced past the second round of the playoffs since 2001.
It will be fascinating to see if that changes this season with James and Brown in the fold next to Maxey, Embiid and Edgecombe.
