NBAYesterday
Breen Issues Apology After LeBron Refutes Account of Embiid
Broadcaster expresses regret over preseason story that drew LeBron's denial and shifted attention to the center
By OddsListing wire desk
· 2 min read
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Apology for the Story
Mike Breen expressed disappointment over how a preseason broadcast anecdote was received after LeBron James pushed back against it. The account described James addressing Joel Embiid arriving late to a practice session. Breen said the intent had been to highlight positive leadership and accountability within the group rather than single out any individual. He noted that the teammate involved should not have mattered but acknowledged that naming Embiid turned the comment into a focal point.
LeBron's Response and Team Focus
James stated on social media that the described event had not occurred. Breen accepted that clarification and offered an apology for circulating the information. Philadelphia coach Nick Nurse indicated he learned of the matter only after practice and stressed that attention remains on preparing players for games. He described Embiid's recent work as strong and said the team has discussed handling outside attention while staying on task.
Preseason Plans and Roster Adjustments
The Sixers defeated the Knicks 120-97 in the preseason opener. Nurse plans to use a regular-season rotation in two of the final three exhibition games, beginning with a road matchup against the Nets. With Ariel Hukporti out for the year following right Achilles surgery, candidates for backup center minutes include the 6-foot-9 James and Dean Wade along with Jabari Walker and Dominick Barlow. Second-year player Adem Bona has returned to on-court work after a left foot issue, and the team has no current plans to add another center.
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