In this week’s episode of Podcast P with Paul George Presented by Wave Sports + Entertainment, the George discussed the Philadelphia 76ers’ struggles, focusing on their 2-12 start to the season.
George, alongside teammate Reggie Jackson, addressed the recent leak of a players-only meeting that garnered attention across the league.
George downplayed the significance of the meeting, explaining that these types of discussions are common in the NBA when teams face challenges.
“That’s normal in the NBA,” George said. “Teams go through that. I’ve been on multiple teams where we’ll have a meeting and check in if things aren’t going right or if we know we could be playing better.”
According to George, the meeting was a healthy and productive conversation aimed at improving team chemistry and performance.
“It was a healthy conversation,” he said. “We all just want the best…We’re at a point where we care about what’s going on with the team.”
Despite the positive nature of the discussion, George expressed frustration about the leak. “It was kind of f*cked up that it got leaked,” he added, explaining how the trust within the team was impacted by the breach of privacy.
Jackson echoed George’s sentiment, downplaying the meeting’s significance. “It was just a positive meeting,” Jackson said. “Honestly, not doing too well right now…but really we just sat down, talked about the game, things that we could improve on, and how we could move forward.”
“I don’t really pay attention much to what’s going on,” Jackson continued. “But there was no negativity from the whole thing.”
The point guard noted that the purpose of the meeting was simply to reflect on the team’s performance and figure out ways to improve, not to assign blame.
The 76ers’ players-only meeting became a topic of speculation when it was leaked to the media, leading to questions about who was involved and the nature of the discussions.
Both George and Jackson made it clear that the individuals in the room were those who were truly invested in the team’s success.
“The people that were in that room are the people that are supposed to be in that room,” George stated. “Those are the people that go out there with us on a nightly basis.”
Jackson added that while there has been speculation about who was in the room, the focus should remain on the team’s efforts moving forward.
Both players emphasized that the leak detracted from the purpose of the meeting. “The conversation should have never just been leaked,” George said.
He explained that the meeting was not confrontational, with no arguments or blame being passed around. George questioned why or how the discussion became public, suggesting it was not intended to fuel media narratives.
