NBA MVP Joel Embiid’s torn left meniscus has dominated headlines, sparking debate about load management and igniting criticism from some media figures. And following reports that Embiid played hurt before the tear, LeBron James has called for apologies.
“Where are all the media outlets, tv media personalities, hot takes that talked so much [s***] about Joel Embiid about missing those games when he knew what he was dealing with?” James posted on X (formerly Twitter) on Friday. “Not 1 person has went back on tv or their dumb*** podcast and apologized to that MAN!! No accountability.”
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Embiid missed games with “soreness” prior to the injury; he was out against the Denver Nuggets last weekend and again on Monday in Portland before returning to the court Tuesday against the Golden State Warriors and re-injuring his left knee. The 76ers were fined for not putting Embiid on the injury report in the lead-up to the Denver game.
Embiid’s fourth straight missed game in Denver, especially against rival Nikola Jokić, ignited criticism, with some suggesting he avoided the matchup. James, seemingly responding to these accusations, defended Embiid while criticizing media coverage. However, his intervention drew its own criticism, notably from Stephen A. Smith.
“A couple of things: number one, we saw The Shop. Nobody called that a dumb*** show,” said Smith. “Why don’t you watch your mouth? Number two, because it isn’t a dumb*** show, I’m gonna give you respect for it, even when we disagree with you, LeBron. Number two, LeBron James, why you lying? Who talked about Joel Embiid and questioned his injury? Joel Embiid was drafted number three overall years ago and missed the first two seasons of his career because of an injury. He’s been injured multiple times throughout his career. He’s had questionable knees his entire career. What the hell are you talking about?
“We all know that he has an injury history. He’s injury-prone. He’s the reigning NBA MVP. He got hurt (Tuesday) night and had been diagnosed with a meniscus injury to his left knee. It was no surprise to anybody what Joel Embiid had been growing through. There were people that were saying, ‘Damn, you never play in Denver, but somehow, someway, you were on the court against Golden State when (Jonathan) Kuminga fell on your left knee.’ What they were making the argument about is if you could’ve played in Golden State against the Warriors, then you could’ve played a couple of days earlier against the reigning defending NBA champion Denver Nuggets and Nikola Jokić, which you hadn’t played in Denver — which you visit once a year — since 2019. So, they haven’t gotten an opportunity to see Joel Embiid play in person.
“Nobody was questioning the legitimacy of the injury he suffered. What they were saying is that he hadn’t suffered that injury until he got fell on by Kuminga during the Warriors’ game. But prior to that, he was working out pregame in Denver and then was pulled off the court. So, tell your facts, ‘new media.’ Tell the facts. Tell the whole story.”
Smith emphasizes that the discussion does not concern people who get injured or those who promote serious injuries. He highlights that this reality is evident and undeniable.
“What we’re talking about are people, not necessarily you, LeBron James, but looked a hell of a lot like you last night in Boston, where you are getting ready to play in New York,” Smith continued. “But somehow, someway 48 hours earlier, you couldn’t play in Boston. That’s what we’re talking about. Now, again, it doesn’t apply to you because you’re not that dude — that’s not something you do; you play when you can play. Nobody will question your impunity or integrity in that regard, but the reality is that far too many players in the NBA over the years have used days off strictly as rest days.
“Well, what the hell did you have four, five, and six months off in the offseason for? Do you know why? Because when LeBron stays ready, most people are spending their offseason lollygagging around and not putting in the work. And they start getting ready when training camp opens. And as a result, going up against somebody as great as you, LeBron, they ain’t ready. Not health-wise and certainly not conditioning-wise. Are you going to tell that story?
“Of course, you’re not. Because that’s not what new media does. New media’s definition is basically to say, ‘Bump old media; we are going to do this s*** our way.’ And by that, we’ll say what we want to say. We’ll spin what we want to spin. And we’ll create our own narratives and feign that it’s accurate, as opposed to it being one-sided. That’s right, that’s exactly what the hell I said. And I meant it.”
