Stephen A. Smith has become a very wealthy man for expressing his opinions loudly, LeBron James for making baskets.
After Thursday's game between the Los Angeles Lakers and New York Knicks, James was caught on-camera in what amounted to an enviable role reversal for some: yelling back at Stephen A.
Don’t understand why people have a problem w/ this. This is so much better than having fake accounts & poppin off. U have a problem with someone, let them now face to face in a calm but stern manner. Bron & Stephen A having a quick chat. pic.twitter.com/Di17mw77b0
— Jerry Hairston, Jr. (@TheRealJHair) March 7, 2025
Friday, Smith opened First Take on ESPN by addressing the interaction.
“That was LeBron James coming up to me, unexpectedly, I might add, to confront me about making sure I mind what I say about I say about his son,” Smith said in regards to Lakers rookie Bronny James.
.@stephenasmith gives thanks after signing a new long-term deal with ESPN ✍️ pic.twitter.com/WL1vVjH2Bz
— First Take (@FirstTake) March 7, 2025
The younger James, at 20, has shuffled between the G-League and the Lakers' roster in his rookie season. Smith has previously been critical of Bronny's surprising ascent from a 20-minute-per-game player as a freshman at USC to the highest level in the world.
"I am pleading with LeBron James as a father: stop this. Stop this,” Smith said in January. “We all know that Bronny James is in the NBA because of his dad. The first game of the season, opening night, the Griffeys in attendance, a father-son duo playing in an NBA game for the first time, an absolutely, positively incredible story. And then reality sets in.”
Bronny has played seven regular season games for the G-League's South Bay Lakers and averaged 21.9 points in 33.9 minutes per game. He's played only 4.2 minutes per game with the Lakers in 18 appearances off the bench, averaging 1.4 points.
.@stephenasmith describes his moment with LeBron James last night at Lakers-Knicks. pic.twitter.com/ZZyUnOOwYZ
— First Take (@FirstTake) March 7, 2025
“Can’t repeat the words because they ain’t suited for FCC airwaves, that’s what he was doing," Smith said on First Take Friday. "And I thought long and hard about this over the last few hours cause I had no intention on talking about this at all. And the reason was because it was a one-on-one, I wouldn’t say it was a conversation but it was a one-on-one confrontation. But then I wake up and everybody from ESPN, my agent and everybody else sending me that this thing had gone viral, so, ultimately it was unavoidable and that is why I have to discuss it now.
“That wasn’t a basketball player confronting me, that was a parent, that was a father. I can’t sit here and be angry or feel slighted by LeBron James in that regard. By all accounts, he’s obviously a wonderful family man and father who cares very, very deeply about his son, and based on some of the comments he had heard or shall I say I think he thought he heard, clearly took exception to some of the things he heard me say, and he confronted me about it.”
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