Joel Embiid Calls Rumor About LeBron James Practice Spat 'Not True,' Says He's 'Easy Target'

Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid has dismissed the rumor of a practice spat between him and LeBron James.

Following the Sixers' preseason game against the Brooklyn Nets, Embiid told reporters the rumor is "not true" and he's not sure where it came from beyond him being an "easy target" given his history.

"It sucks, but what can you do? It's unfortunate. I don't know where that came from. It never happened. ... I think we just got to focus on ourselves. There's going to be a lot of outside noise to pull us apart from what we're supposed to be and what we're supposed to accomplish. So, it's important that we stay together and we keep our [head] down. ... Those type of things, I can't understand. One, it is not true, but then again, it's like, 'Why me?' ... I guess I'm Joel Embiid. I've been in that situation. I don't usually talk when it comes to those [rumors]. So, it feels like I'm an easy target. But yeah, as long as we know who we are [we will be OK] and we just got to stick together."

The situation began on Monday during the Sixers' preseason contest with the New York Knicks. Play-by-play announcer Mike Breen, who was calling the game on MSG Networks, said he heard a story in which James left Embiid "have it" for walking out late for practice.

"Somebody told me before the game that they were out ready to practice and Joel Embiid walked out on the court a couple of minutes late, and LeBron let him hear it," Breen said on the broadcast (h/t Tyler Lauletta of Awful Announcing).

Embiid is not the only member of the Sixers organization who has disputed the story. James wrote "stop the lies" on his Instagram Story, adding Embiid has not been late for any practice.

76ers head coach Nick Nurse told reporters on Wednesday he was "surprised" when he heard about Breen's comments because Embiid is "in great shape; he's been on the practice floor."

Amid the pushback, Breen issued an apology, which was relayed by ESPN's Dave McMenamin : "I don't know why the person who told me the story would make it up, but if LeBron says it never happened then I believe him and apologize for putting it out there."

Breen added he got the story from "someone I trust" and only thought of it as an "interesting anecdote" to show how James is having a positive influence with his new team, but it took off in a way he didn't anticipate.

"For me, the fact that the teammate was Joel was meaningless," he said. "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."

James and Embiid made their preseason debuts for the 76ers on Thursday night. Embiid finished with six points and eight turnovers in 24 minutes. James had 10 points on 8-of-8 free-throw shooting in 18 minutes.

The Sixers have two more preseason games remaining before tipping off the regular season against the defending NBA champion New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden on Oct. 20.