LeBron James shuts down Joel Embiid rift rumor, but Sixers leadership tension is real

LeBron James' tenure in Philadelphia is starting with immediate friction, placing the 41-year-old superstar right at the center of the team's initial practice reports.This page may contain affiliate links to legal sports betting partners.If you sign up or place a wager, FOX News may be compensated.

This content was created by a team that works independently from the FOX newsroom.LEBRON JAMES ADMITS HE NEARLY JOINED THE KNICKS BEFORE JALEN BRUNSON WON THE NBA TITLE WITHOUT HIMDuring a preseason broadcast against the New York Knicks, veteran announcer Mike Breen reported that Joel Embiid arrived a couple of minutes late, prompting LeBron to "let him hear it" in front of the team.LeBron quickly shot down the report on Instagram, posting a photo alongside Embiid captioned: "[billed cap emoji]! He ain't been late so stop the lies."The report gained immediate traction because of Embiid’s history with punctuality.LeBron James No.23 of the Philadelphia 76ers talks to Joel Embiid No.

21 and Tyrese Maxey No.0 against the New York Knicks during a preseason game at Xfinity Mobile Arena on Oct.

5, 2026, in Philadelphia, Pa.The 76ers defeated the Knicks 120-97.

(Getty Images)LeBron James of the Philadelphia 76ers smiles during a game against the New York Knicks on Oct.5, 2026, at Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia, Pa.

(NBAE via Getty Images)During the 2024-25 season, Tyrese Maxey confronted Embiid in an hour-long team meeting, explicitly calling him out for being late "for everything" and demanding he show up on time.Given that history, Breen's account sounded familiar to everyone listening.NBA STAR JAYLEN BROWN SAYS IN RIDICULOUS INTERVIEW HE'S AN INFLUENCER, NOT AN ENTERTAINER FOR FANSLeBron's denial followed recent public praise for Embiid’s conditioning.

Before this whole mess surfaced, LeBron noted that the center had not missed a single practice and looked significantly better than he did during their gold-medal run with Team USA in 2024.The moment reopens the ...