James pushed back on social media after Breen shared an on-air anecdote about him scolding Joel Embiid for arriving late to practice.
ESPN's Mike Breen apologized Wednesday after LeBron James refuted a story Breen told on the air during a preseason game between the Knicks and 76ers.
Calling the 76ers' 120-97 win over the Knicks on Monday, Breen shared an anecdote during the fourth quarter: "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." The comment spread quickly given the two superstars involved.
James responded after the game in a post to his Instagram account, writing "He ain't been late so stop the lies."
Breen addressed the fallout Wednesday, telling ESPN, "I'm so disappointed how the story was interpreted. The whole intent was praising LeBron for already having an impact on the team's professionalism and accountability, even something so benign as a player getting on the court for practice a minute or two late."
The episode marks an early bit of drama in James's first season with Philadelphia, even before the regular season has tipped off.