Embiid dismisses LeBron report as false and asks why he was singled out

Joel Embiid has flatly denied a report claiming that LeBron James took him to task for arriving late to practice, insisting the incident simply never took place and questioning why he had been singled out.

The Philadelphia 76ers centre described himself as an easy target in the wake of the story, expressing frustration that an account he called untrue had gained traction. Embiid said the episode never happened and that he was left wondering why he had been the subject of such a claim.

The dispute arose against the backdrop of James's debut season with Philadelphia, the veteran forward having joined the 76ers during the summer. James made a promising start in his first game for the club, contributing ten points, five assists and four rebounds in the first half alone, suggesting he is settling into his new surroundings despite still finding his feet with the team.