Kyle Ross-Imagn Images
May 10, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (21) looks on against the New York Knicks in the second quarter during game four of the second round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Xfinity Mobile Arena.
ESPN announcer Mike Breen walked back a report he made earlier this week stating that LeBron James had to call out new Philadelphia 76ers teammate Joel Embiid for being late to a recent practice.
But Breen’s correction made many wonder where the initial report came from to begin with, especially after James, Embiid, and 76ers head coach Nick Nurse all denied the incident occurred.
Embiid, however, says that he’s not surprised by the incident, calling himself an “easy target” for false reports in the media.
Joel Embiid Doesn’t Understand Why He Keeps Facing False Reports
After Thursday’s preseason game against the Brooklyn Nets that saw the 76ers newly assembled starting five all play together for the first time, Embiid addressed Breen’s claim.
“Those type of things, I can’t understand,” he said. “One, it is not true, but then again, it’s like, ‘Why me?’ … I guess I’m Joel Embiid. I’ve been in that situation. I don’t usually talk when it comes to those [rumors]. So, it feels like I’m an easy target.
“But yeah, as long as we know who we are [we will be OK] and we just got to stick together.”
Embiid, who lost significant weight in the offseason, excelled in the Sixers’ opening preseason game against the New York Knicks. But he struggled against Brooklyn, scoring just eight points on 1-of-5 shooting with eight turnovers. But he doesn’t sound concerned.
“Obviously, it’s the preseason, especially for me,” he said. “I got to do a better job of taking care of the ball. But [it was the] first game, my first few games usually every year [are like this]. So yeah, it’s going to take a few games to get going and just got to do a better job.”
Safe to say there will be no shortage of drama in Philadelphia this season, whether it’s the players’ fault or not.