LeBron James denied Mike Breen’s account of an alleged practice incident involving Joel Embiid and Breen later apologized for repeating the story.
Veteran NBA broadcaster Mike Breen has issued an apology after a story he shared became a point of public discussion following a preseason game between the Philadelphia 76ers and New York Knicks. Breen said he was disappointed by how the story was interpreted and that he had meant to praise LeBron James for bringing accountability to Philadelphia. The controversy centered on Breen’s claim that Joel Embiid arrived a couple of minutes late to practice and James “let him hear it.”
James publicly denied the account on Instagram and said Embiid had not been late. Breen later said the information came from someone he trusted and that he believed James’ denial.
The story surfaced during Philadelphia’s preseason opener against New York when the 76ers won 120-97. James did not play in the game along with Tyrese Maxey and Joel Embiid. Despite the controversy team coach Nick Nurse defended Embiid and said he had been excellent during training.
Nurse added that Embiid had been on the practice floor and had worked very hard while looking great.
Breen expressed disappointment about how the story was interpreted and said it was not his intention to create controversy around Embiid. He said that in hindsight he should have realized that Embiid’s involvement would make the anecdote a bigger story.
The team also has Adem Bona who is a third-year NBA player and can provide frontcourt depth when needed. CBS Sports reported that the 76ers will be under heavy scrutiny this season after adding James and Jaylen Brown to a roster that already includes Embiid. There is no shortage of intrigue about how this group will pan out and how all the various egos and personalities will mesh on and off the court.
The situation highlights the challenges of reporting in a high-profile league where every detail can become a story.
Breen’s apology was a response to the attention created by his account after James publicly disputed it. As the season progresses fans and media alike will be watching closely to see how these dynamics play out in future games.
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