Joel Embiid blasts rumors about LeBron James: "It's a lie, I'm an easy target"

Joel Embiid has addressed the controversy regarding his relationship with LeBron James on the Philadelphia 76ers. The center denied that the four-time NBA champion criticized him for arriving late to a practice, as had been reported during the broadcast of a preseason game, and lamented becoming the center of unfounded rumors.

“It’s not true. It never happened,” Embiid said after Philadelphia’s 114-108 loss to the Brooklyn Nets, which marked his debut in this preseason. The player also acknowledged his discomfort with the impact of the story and emphasized the need to protect team cohesion before the start of the regular season.

“It’s a shame, but what can you do? It’s unfortunate. I don’t know where that came from. I think we need to focus on ourselves. There will be a lot of outside noise trying to separate us from who we are and what we want to achieve. It’s important that we stay united and keep our heads down,” the center explained.

LeBron James labeled the information as false

The controversy began on Monday during the fourth quarter of the Sixers' 120-97 victory over the New York Knicks. Mike Breen, a legendary NBA announcer, commented during the MSG Networks broadcast that he had heard a story about a supposed confrontation between James and Embiid during a practice.

According to Breen’s live commentary, the center reportedly came onto the court a few minutes after the rest of his teammates were ready to practice, a situation that LeBron supposedly reacted to by reprimanding him for his tardiness.

The version spread quickly, but James himself came forward to deny it on Tuesday via his Instagram account, where he called the information “lies.” Later, Breen apologized for spreading the story.

Embiid also wanted to make it clear that the supposed incident never happened. However, beyond denying the story's content, the player expressed frustration at being singled out as the focus of a narrative that affects the image of the Philadelphia locker room.

“I can’t understand that kind of thing. To begin with, it’s not true, but then I ask myself: why me? I guess it’s because I’m Joel Embiid. I’ve been in this situation before. I usually don’t speak when these rumors surface, so I feel like I’m an easy target,” he stated.

The center insisted that the best response is to maintain confidence among the team members. “As long as we know who we are, we’ll be fine. We just have to stay united,” he added.

A tough debut for Embiid against Brooklyn

The statements came after a challenging night for Embiid on the court. The Sixers' big man finished the game against the Nets with eight points, three rebounds, and three assists, along with eight turnovers in 24 minutes. He made one of his five field goal attempts in a performance that still showed a lack of competitive rhythm.

The player himself acknowledged that he needs to improve on managing possessions, but he urged context regarding his difficulties since it was his first preseason game.

“Obviously, it’s preseason, especially in my case. I need to take better care of the ball. But it’s the first game, and my first games usually go like this every year. I will need a few games to get going and I have to do better,” he explained.

Embiid's situation and his adaptation to the new Sixers setup are among the focal points of the preseason. The arrival of LeBron James adds experience and new possibilities to the team, but it also requires its key figures to find the best way to share the spotlight.

For now, the center has wanted to stand united with his teammate and prevent external information from interfering in their daily work. After denying any confrontation with James, his message has been clear: Philadelphia needs to focus on the court and maintain unity as it builds its identity for the new season.

The controversy is marked by two facts: James publicly denied the story and Breen apologized for spreading it. Embiid, for his part, rejects the existence of the incident and considers that the rumors are yet another reason for the Sixers to protect their internal cohesion.

This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Joel Embiid estalla contra los rumores sobre LeBron James: "Es mentira, soy un blanco fácil"