Mike Breen Apologizes After LeBron James Refutes Joel Embiid Story

Legendary broadcaster Mike Breen has apologized after LeBron James publicly refuted a story Breen had shared, which claimed James had criticized his 76ers teammate Joel Embiid for being late to practice. James took to Instagram to deny the report, stating, “He ain’t been late so stop the lies.”

Breen shared the anecdote during the broadcast of Monday's preseason game between the Knicks and the Sixers on MSG Networks. He explained that he had heard from an unnamed source that James had reprimanded Embiid for arriving a few minutes late for practice. "Somebody told 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," Breen said.

Following James' denial, Breen clarified his intentions to ESPN. "I’m so disappointed how the story was interpreted," Breen stated. "The whole intent was praising LeBron for already having an impact on the team’s professionalism and accountability, even something so benign as a player getting on the court for practice a minute or two late."

He expressed regret for the misinterpretation and the focus it placed on Embiid. "I thought it would be an interesting anecdote to show LeBron’s leadership already on display in Philly," Breen continued. "For me, the fact that the teammate was Joel was meaningless. In hindsight, I should have realized the fact that it was Joel is what made it a story. I’ve always been a huge fan of Joel and feel awful that it put the focus on him the way that it did."

Breen concluded by accepting James' account. "I don’t know why the person who told me the story would make it up, but if LeBron says it never happened then I believe him and apologize for putting it out there."

This is not the first time Embiid has been the subject of reports concerning punctuality. Approximately two years prior, during a period when the 76ers had a 2-11 start to their season, sources informed ESPN’s Shams Charania that Embiid's teammates were reportedly calling him out for lateness "for everything."