So, there’s real smoke between Stephen A. Smith and LeBron James Sr.? The former is known for never backing down when it comes to bold sports takes, and now he’s keeping that same energy when speaking about his rocky relationship with NBA icon LeBron James.
Smith, a longtime heavyweight personality at ESPN, got candid on a recent episode of _First Take,_ revealing that things between him and the Lakers superstar are far from friendly. The tension reportedly boiled over earlier this year during a heated courtside exchange after the Los Angeles Lakers took on the New York Knicks.
According to Smith, the confrontation stemmed from comments he had made about LeBron’s son, Bronny James, and how the Lakers have been utilizing the young player. But Smith insisted there was a deeper layer to the situation that had nothing to do with basketball analysis.
“I have nothing to say about that. I don’t like him, and he don’t like me…” Smith stated via Awful Announcing. “He hid behind his son, tried to make something out of nothing, as if I was dogging his son, which I was not. The real issue was we don’t like each other. And he used that as an excuse to confront me. I got it.”
Despite the personal tension, Smith emphasized that he would continue to cover James’ career fairly.
“He’s one of the greatest players who’s ever lived. I’m going to show him that respect, and I’m going to cover him objectively. When he does great, I’m gonna applaud. When he doesn’t do great, I’m not gonna applaud.”
Smith also previously downplayed the run-in as a moment between two fathers rather than a beef between the media and the athlete. He explained that if James ever wanted to have a private conversation to clear the air, the door remains open.
“He knows how to get in contact with me if he wanted to.”
We’re sure he does.