Joel Embiid Turns LeBron James Conversation Into An Unexpected Jaylen Brown Callout

Joel Embiid received some kind words from LeBron James on a podcast last week. The Sixers center told ESPN's Malika Andrews that hearing James say he wants to help him win a title shows how other players see him.

Then Embiid turned to Jaylen Brown, who joined Philadelphia in July after ten years in Boston. The 2023 MVP told a story about Brown trying to guard him in last year's series, grinning the whole time.

Joel Embiid's LeBron James Response Takes A Savage Turn With Jaylen Brown

LeBron James brought up Joel Embiid on the Mind the Game podcast last week while explaining why Philadelphia became his next stop. Embiid, he said, was one of the biggest reasons.

"He's done everything in our league, and the only thing he has not done is win a championship," James said. "And I want to try to help him get that first one."

James closed out eight seasons with the Lakers in July by signing a two-year, $8 million deal with Philadelphia. The $8 million forward and Embiid already share a gold medal from the Paris Olympics, where both played for Team USA.

"You're talking about one of the greatest players to ever play [the game], if not the greatest. To have him say that, it kind of validates not so much what I've accomplished, but the way my peers might think about me," Embiid told Malika Andrews..

Later, Embiid discussed his next goal, "I'm at the point of my career where I need to win," Embiid added. "Between everything that's happened, that would be a good ending for the city of Philadelphia. And they deserve it."

Brown came up next. The Sixers paid Paul George, two first-round picks and two second-round picks to land him from Boston in July. The trade ended his ten years with the Celtics. Embiid has faced him plenty in the East, and he pointed to last year's meeting with Boston.

"I've had a lot of battles with him," Embiid said. "Even when we came back down 3-1 against them last year, he took the challenge of guarding me."

Embiid smiled as he continued.

"He knew he had no chance of getting a stop, but I guess the other guys couldn't do it. And he was like, 'I got to try something.' You can only respect that."

LeBron James Shares Honest Take On Joel Embiid

James has his own read on Embiid, and it comes from two stretches of playing together. The first was Paris in 2024, when a knee problem lingered and held Embiid back. The second is this training camp, and the picture looks different.

"The difference between '24 and now, he's just so much more healthier," James said. "He hasn't missed a practice."

James further explained that Embiid has joined in on almost everything the team has done. The staff has even had to sit him out at times while he wanted to keep going. "So, it's been good. Actually, great," James said.

Nick Nurse and Mike Gansey have talked up Embiid's condition, and so has Embiid himself. It is his first healthy summer in a long while.