James, Nurse Dispute Breen’s Report on Embiid

During the 76ers’ preseason game against the Knicks, broadcaster Mike Breen reported that Joel Embiid had arrived late to practice and LeBron James admonished him. James denied the report on Instagram, writing that Embiid “ain’t been late” and calling the claim a lie; Philadelphia coach Nick Nurse also said Embiid had been excellent in training camp, in good shape and consistently at practice. Breen apologized, saying he had repeated information from a trusted source to illustrate James’s leadership and accountability, but regretted the attention the report directed at Embiid. The report drew added scrutiny because Embiid’s punctuality had been criticized by teammates in the past, though James and Nurse disputed the latest claim.