LeBron James Shuts Down Report He Chewed Out Joel Embiid Over Practice Tardiness

LeBron James wasted no time swatting away the first bit of drama of his Philadelphia 76ers tenure. During Monday night's preseason game between the Knicks and 76ers on MSG Network, broadcaster Mike Breen shared a story he said someone told him before the game: that at a recent Sixers practice, Embiid had walked onto the court a couple of minutes late and James had let him hear it. The claim spread quickly on social media, and on Tuesday James answered it himself. Posting on his Instagram Story, the 41-year-old shared a graphic about the alleged encounter and wrote: "He ain't been late so stop the lies," adding a cap emoji to make his verdict clear. James is in his first season in Philadelphia after joining the 76ers this offseason, and the pairing with Embiid — his former Team USA teammate from the 2024 Paris Olympics — is one of the league's most-watched storylines. James did not play in Monday's preseason opener, a 120-97 Sixers win, and he has yet to make his on-court debut for his new club. Embiid has not commented on the episode, but reports from within the team suggest the story had no substance. Kyle Neubeck of PHLY Sports reported that everything he has heard from people around the Sixers about Embiid has been universally positive throughout camp and the offseason.