CAMDEN, N.J. -- When there is a team like the Philadelphia 76ers filled with superstars and big names, one can expect little reports and outside noise. It just comes with the territory of a team that features names like LeBron James, Jaylen Brown, and Joel Embiid.
In the preseason opener, alarms began to rise when Hall of Fame broadcaster Mike Breen stated that Embiid was a few minutes late to practice and James lit into him a bit. The clip was likely taken out of context as Breen was probably trying to make a point about how positive James has been in Philadelphia, but social media does what it does and that little clip went viral which led to James then denying the report and calling it out on his Instagram story.
LeBron James isn’t here for
that kind of talk. He denied the report about him checking Joel Embiid for being late. #Sixers pic.twitter.com/hldnhCKo96
— Ky Carlin (@Ky_Carlin) October 7, 2026
As the Sixers convened for practice on Wednesday before the team heads up to Brooklyn to begin a quick 2-game preseason road trip, coach Nick Nurse addressed the report as he stuck up for Embiid in that situation.
"I'm just surprised by what I was told before and what you guys are asking me about because he's been excellent," said Nurse. "He's in great shape. He's been on the practice floor. He's worked really hard and he's been playing great. So I'm just surprised something like that has come out."
In terms of the report itself, Nurse is doing his best to block out all of that outside noise. Again, it's what comes with the territory of being a team that has so many stars and in a big market like Philadelphia. It's going to happen.
"First of all, I didn't hear the (report or) read it," Nurse added. "I just was made aware of it right after practice that it happened. But for me, again, I'm going to continue to repeat things, but this is the answer. The answer is all I'm really focused on is getting the players to the practice floor and getting the players to the game floor. And that's what they are going to do, to."
The challenge for Nurse and the Sixers is to get Embiid, James, and the rest of this talented team all on the same page. They've played one preseason game thus far and that's all they have to go off right now. He isn't focused on what one person might have said about Embiid being late to practice or anything like that.
"We understand," Nurse finished. "We've had meetings and we've talked about, ‘Yes, there'll be outside noise, but it's up to us, I think, to manage it.’ I mean, why have I not heard about it? Well, I am knee deep in training camp. These meetings and getting every meticulous detail down to the practice schedule and all this stuff takes focus. Don't ask me about much that's going on in the world right now. And I think that's the way the guys are in this moment."
This article originally appeared on Sixers Wire: Sixers coach Nick Nurse addresses LeBron James-Joel Embiid report
