Joel Embiid downplayed his offseason Twitter chatter centered around Los Angeles Lakers rookie Lonzo Ball prior to a Wednesday night ESPN matchup with his Philadelphia 76ers.

Embiid had previously commented on Ball's often overhyped entrance to the NBA, having his fun like the rest of Twitter after every disparate comment from his father LaVar Ball.

“I love Lonzo,” Embiid told ESPN's Ramona Shelburne. “The whole situation with them, I think it's just fun. I love what he's doing, especially with his own shoe. He's staking his own place. People think I hate him, but I love him.”

Joel Embiid
The Associated Press

Embiid's draft-night tweet on June 22 in which he told rookie teammate Ben Simmons, “Please dunk on him so hard that his daddy runs on the court to save him” was meant to be a comical reference to something Simmons' sister Olivia had tweeted after LaVar Ball's controversial back-and-forth with Fox Sports 1 host Kristine Leahy. Olivia Simmons had previously tweeted, “I hope my brother dunks on Lonzo Ball so hard next year that his daddy runs on the court to help him up.”

The 7-footer compared his feud with Ball more of a WWE-style callout than anything else.

“I just meant it to be funny,” Embiid said. “Even the thing I said ‘Oh please dunk on him,' I just took it from [Simmons'] sister, who said that like weeks before that.”

Lonzo Ball
Tim Bradbury/Getty Images

Ball's father LaVar obviously took things in spite, giving some of his own punchy quotes after noting Embiid had only played less than half a season during his rookie year.

“So guess what, get your asses off the god damn Tweeter, and get in the gym.”

Embiid didn't back down, posting a short Instagram video saying “F*** LaVar Ball,” a statement which cost him $10,000 for the use of vulgar language.

The Cameroonian was later quoted saying, “I think most people have been wanting to say that. I guess I was the guy to say that and I'm glad I said it,” during an appearance at the Variety Sports and Entertainment summit in July.