LeBron To ESPN: Stop The Cap, Mike Breen Apologizes For Embiid Report

Another day, another Philly sports drama.  

This time it comes courtesy of LeBron James, otherwise known as the new kid in town.  

ESPN sportscaster Mike Breen may have thought he was cozying up to James when he reported that the newest Philadelphia 76’er checked Joel Embiid after Embiid reportedly showed up late for practice.  

Try again.  

“Somebody told me before the game that they were out ready to practice, and Joel Embiif walked out on the court a couple of minutes late and LeBron let him hear it,” Breen said while calling the game on ESPN on Monday.

On Tuesday, LeBron took to his Instagram story to refute the claim, saying, “ain’t been late so stop the lies.”  

Apparently, the incident that didn’t happen was shared by someone Breen trusted. He said so in an apology, also aired on ESPN.  

“I don’t know why the person who told me the story would make it up,” Breen said. “But if LeBron says it never happened, then I believe him and apologize for putting it out there.”  

If you closely follow Philly sports, you know that this isn’t the first time that Embiid has been accused of lateness. In 2024, Tyrese Maxey called him out in a team meeting for being “late to everything.”  

Breen says that he viewed the anecdote as a way to show that James was already taking on the role as a veteran leader. As the longest tenured player in the NBA, now in his 23^rd season, that would seem to be a given.  

“I thought it would be an interesting anecdote to show LeBron’s leadership already on display in Philly,” he said. 

“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.” 

When asked about the mini-controversy, Sixers coach Nick Nurse said it was his first time hearing about it as he was “knee-deep” in getting the team ready for the upcoming season.  

 “I’m just surprised about what I was told before and what you guys are asking me about. He’s (Embiid) been excellent. He’s in great shape, he’s been on the practice floor, and he’s worked  very hard and he looks really great. So, it surprises me that something like that came out right now.”  

The Sixers are 1-0 in preseason, beating the Knicks 120-97 on Monday. The Knicks starters played in limited minutes, but only Jaylen Bruson and VJ Edgecombe played for the Sixers. Unfortunately for him, so did  76ers big man Ariel Hukporti. He tore his right Achilles tendon in the game and will be out for the season.  

The Sixers will begin the regular season against the defending champion Knicks on Tuesday, Oct. 20 at 7 p.m. Madison Square Garden.