Longtime broadcaster Mike Breen apologized after LeBron James publicly refuted an on-air report claiming James scolded Philadelphia 76ers teammate Joel Embiid for arriving late to practice. James dismissed the preseason anecdote on Instagram with a sharp denial, prompting the play-by-play announcer to express deep regret over the resulting public focus.
Mike Breen Apologizes For On-Air Story
The controversy began during the fourth quarter of the Philadelphia 76ers’ preseason opener against the New York Knicks on October 5, 2026. While calling the game for MSG Networks, veteran play-by-play announcer Mike Breen shared an anecdote relayed to him by someone he trusted before tipoff.
According to that broadcast account, James confronted Embiid after the center walked onto the practice court a couple of minutes late. Breen explained that his intent was strictly to highlight James’ immediate leadership impact on his new team rather than to single out Embiid for poor habits.
“I’m so disappointed how the story was interpreted. 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.”
Mike Breen, via TSN
After James pushed back against the narrative, Breen told ESPN that he accepted the four-time NBA champion’s version of events and apologized for putting the focus on Embiid.
LeBron James And Nick Nurse Address The Rumor
The broadcast claim quickly made the rounds across social media, drawing immediate attention because of Embiid’s past history with punctuality. During the 2024–25 season, guard Tyrese Maxey called out Embiid during an hour-long team meeting for being late to team activities.
LeBron James stepped in on October 6, 2026, to address the situation on Instagram, denying the broadcast’s claim and providing his own account of the events to clear up the misunderstanding regarding the timing.
“He ain’t been late so stop the lies.”
LeBron James, via Heavy
Philadelphia head coach Nick Nurse expressed surprise when asked about the media stir during Wednesday’s practice session, noting that Embiid has maintained an excellent work ethic throughout training camp.
“I’m just surprised by what I was told before, and what you guys are asking me about, because he’s been excellent. He’s in great shape. He’s been on the practice floor. He’s worked very hard, and he looks really great. So it just surprises me that something like that came out right now.”
Nick Nurse, Philadelphia 76ers Head Coach, via Inquirer
James Joins 76ers to Help Embiid Win Championship
The 76ers enter the 2026–27 campaign under intense scrutiny following a blockbuster offseason that brought James to Philadelphia on a two-year free agent deal alongside a trade for Jaylen Brown. James has previously stated that a primary motivation for joining the franchise is helping Embiid capture his first NBA championship.
James entered his 24th NBA season, while Embiid began his 11th year on the court for the organization. Before the training camp noise surfaced, James noted that Embiid had not missed a single practice and looked significantly better than he did during their gold-medal run with Team USA at the 2024 Olympic Games. Regarding depth behind Embiid, Nurse stated that the franchise has no plans to add another center to the roster, intending to move forward with the existing crew unless something else emerges. Adem Bona progressed to on-court workouts on Wednesday after being sidelined with a sprained left foot to begin training camp. The team has three games remaining on the preseason schedule before officially opening the regular season against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden on October 20.
