LeBron James Denies Report He Scolded Joel Embiid Over Practice Delay

The 2026 NBA Preseason has finally begun, which means the 2026-27 regular season is rapidly approaching. One of the most highly anticipated teams to watch this coming season is the Philadelphia 76ers. This is due to the 76ers bringing in Jaylen Brown and LeBron James. Brown and James have formed a superteam with Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey, which sparked huge interest among fans and analysts.

However, despite the season not yet commencing, the league has already begun stirring up drama. Prominent NBA broadcaster Mike Breen claimed that he was told that James scolded Embiid in one of their practices for being a couple of minutes late.

"Obviously, it's only a week of camp. But I had somebody tell me before the game that they were out ready to practice, and Joel Embiid walked out on the court a couple minutes late. LeBron let him hear it," Breen said during the broadcast of the 76ers' preseason opener against the New York Knicks.

However, LeBron saw the reports and immediately shut down the allegations.

"Cap! He ain't been late, so stop the lies," James wrote on his Instagram stories.

As of this writing, Breen's source hasn't been revealed yet. It's also likely that they will remain anonymous, especially now that the King has denied the reports.

In all honesty, if the rumors were true, that wouldn't be a bad look for James. Sports analyst Ramona Shelburne previously reported that while LeBron is a new member of the Sixers, everyone is trying to prove themselves to the King. We could easily assume that James is the team's leader despite already accepting a backseat-oriented role.

LeBron scolding Joel simply shows that the 41-year-old cares and wants his team to take practices more seriously, especially now that the 76ers are likely gunning for the NBA championship this season.

LeBron James' Previous Injury Sparks Concern for 76ers

The 2026-27 season hasn't started yet, and a lot has already taken place. In the case of the Philadelphia 76ers, Ariel Hukporti injured his foot in the team's preseason opener against the New York Knicks; rumors about drama between Joel Embiid and LeBron James have come to the surface, and apparently, another injury could become a hindrance to the team's regular season.

According to several reports, LeBron is dealing with chronic arthritis in his left foot. While this may be news to some, The New York Times reported that this isn't an entirely new condition.

James' chronic arthritis is a result of his previous lower-back sciatica, which forced him to miss all offseason and preseason activities in 2025. LeBron also missed the first 14 games of last season.

Having that in mind, the recurring injury has sparked concerns among 76ers fans. The regular season hasn't begun, and one of their best players might not be available to help the team compete for a chance at the title.

James' personal athletic trainer, Mike Mancias, reassured fans, however. Mancias shared that LeBron is undergoing extensive stretching, muscle activation, and specialized therapeutic modalities as a routine before practice.

This should enable the King to keep up with the intense grind of the 82-game regular season.