Stephen A. Smith has broken his silence on the subject of his heated confrontation LeBron James, declaring the NBA star’s sideline antics “weak.”
On Tuesday (March 11), during an appearance on the Gil’s Arena podcast, Stephen A. Smith detailed his recent interaction with James, which occurred on Thursday (March 6) during the Los Angeles Lakers‘ matchup against the New York Knicks.
According to Smith, James, who approached him in the third quarter during a timeout, scolded him for his commentary regarding his son and teammate, Bronny James.
LeBron James And Bronny James
LeBron James #23 and Bronny James #9 of the Los Angeles Lakers on defense during the second quarter against the Minnesota Timberwolves at Crypto.com Arena on October 22, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. Harry How/Getty Images
“I turn around and he’s right here in my face and says, ‘Yo, you gotta stop talking sh*t about my son [Bronny],'” Smith said of James. “‘You gotta stop f**king with my son. That’s my son, that’s my son!’”
Despite empathizing with James’ emotions as a father, Smith still found his conduct unbecoming, deeming the exchange as “some bullsh*t.”
The sports pundit also mentioned Bronny James glancing at him with a “sad look on his face” during the game’s first quarter, as a possible motive for the elder James to confront him in such a manner.
Stephen A. Smith
ESPN analyst Stephen A. Smith during Game Three of the NBA Finals between the Milwaukee Bucks and the Phoenix Suns at Fiserv Forum on July 11, 2021 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Justin Casterline/Getty Images
Smith says he initially didn’t plan to address his conversation with James publicly. However, once the exchange went viral, his bosses urged him to do so on ESPN First Take, which Smith lead as talent and executive producer.
The Queens, NY, native has been outspoken regarding James’ handling of his son’s career, arguing that Bronny is simply not ready to compete at the pro level and is faltering in the face of overly high expectations set, in part, by his own father.
Smith isn’t alone in that sentiment, as other analysts and critics have shared his harsh review of Bronny’s performance in the NBA.
Bronny James And LeBron James
Bronny James #9 and LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers warm up prior to the game against the Phoenix Suns at Acrisure Arena on October 06, 2024 in Palm Springs, California. Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images
However, there is widespread agreement that the 2024 second round draft pick has flourished in the NBA’s G League, giving his supporters reason to believe he’s gradually developing as a professional talent in terms of learning the skills and mental resiliency needed in the pro game.
In other related sports news, Smith recently inked a new five-year, $100 million contract with ESPN, ending speculation over his future with the sports network.
As part of the deal, Smith will retain his role on First Take while reportedly taking a step back from other coverage on ESPN.
Stephen A. Smith
Stephen A. Smith attends SiriusXM At Super Bowl LVII on February 09, 2023 in Phoenix, Arizona. Cindy Ord/Getty Images for SiriusXM