Mike Breen apologizes for unverified Joel Embiid tardiness story
Broadcaster Mike Breen apologized after LeBron James publicly denied an anecdote Breen shared on air about James reprimanding Joel Embiid for tardiness.
Mike Breen apologized on Wednesday for sharing an unverified story about Joel Embiid's tardiness during the Knicks-76ers preseason broadcast. The longtime New York play-by-play announcer made the comments during the fourth quarter of Monday's game, which Philadelphia won 120-97.
Breen recounted an anecdote suggesting Joel Embiid walked onto the court a couple of minutes late for a practice session. The story claimed LeBron James then addressed the tardiness. Breen said he received the information from someone he trusts and intended it to highlight James' emerging leadership with his new team.
LeBron James' denial and Breen's response
LeBron James refuted the story on social media the following day. Using his Instagram account, James stated plainly that Embiid had not been late and called for the lies to stop. In response, Breen affirmed he believes James over the original tip.
Breen expressed disappointment in how the story was interpreted. He said if LeBron states it never happened, then he believes him and apologizes for putting it out there. The broadcaster did not speculate on why his source might have relayed the account.
Breen's reflection and intent behind the story
Breen explained his original intent was to praise LeBron James for impacting team professionalism and accountability. For him, the fact the teammate was Joel Embiid was meaningless in the context of the leadership lesson. He now recognizes that detail is what made the anecdote a story.
In hindsight, Breen said he should have realized that mentioning Embiid made the story much bigger than intended. He added that he has always been a huge fan of Joel Embiid and feels awful that it put the focus on him in that manner.
Context on the 76ers' current situation
The incident adds to the external pressure on the Philadelphia 76ers this preseason. The team traded for Jaylen Brown and signed LeBron James this summer, bringing immense attention to the organization. James and Embiid will team up for the first time this fall.
76ers coach Nick Nurse addressed managing outside noise on Wednesday. He said his focus is on getting players to the practice floor and the game floor. Nurse added the team has held meetings to discuss the inevitable outside noise and that it is up to them to manage it. This controversy during the preseason opener is seen as a precursor to heightened scrutiny all season for the Sixers.
Embiid's recent performance and availability
Joel Embiid's recent history adds another layer to the narrative. Last season, his tenth with the 76ers, he averaged 26.9 points and 7.7 rebounds per game. His availability, however, has been severely limited by injuries over the past three seasons.
Embiid has not played in more than 39 games in a single campaign during that three-year span. The team will continue to manage outside noise as they integrate LeBron James ahead of the regular season, per coach Nick Nurse's focus on keeping players on the practice and game floor.
