Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James joined ESPN's 'The Pat McAfee Show' for a long-winded, in-depth discussion on Wednesday, offering a window into his thought process and emotions headed toward the Lakers' expected playoff berth in the Western Conference.
"The LeBronversation with the progrum happened," McAfee wrote on his X account. "It was AWESOME...about an Hour and 15 minutes.
"Chatted about damn near everything."
One surprising topic that came up during the interview was James' feelings toward ESPN reporter Brian Windhorst, who has covered the NBA's all-time leading scorer dating back to his junior high school days.
James took an expletive-laced potshot at Windhorst, causing fellow ESPN personality Stephen A. Smith to fire back in fierce comments posted to social media.
"When LeBron talked about the media, weeks ago, what does he do now? Listen to what he has to say, listen closely," Smith said in a video that was seen over a million times as of the first minutes of Thursday morning.
"I see a lot of s--- too," James said to McAfee. "Yeah...This guy says he's like my f---in' best friend...These guys is just weird," the Lakers forward added.
Smith took Windhorst's side as he fiercely defended his ESPN colleague.
"I have worked with Brian Windhorst for years. Never once did he say that LeBron was a best friend. A matter of fact, years earlier it was LeBron who sat in front of the microphones and said, probably nobody knows me better than Brian Windhorst, who's been covering me since I was in junior high school.
"Brian Windhorst is an exceptional commentator who does a phenomenal job for ESPN...He is one of the elite people covering the NBA in this world.
"And nobody, I repeat nobody defends LeBron James more than that man. And look at what LeBron James did," Smith continued.
"Tell me one time, tell me one thing that Brian Windhorst has done to negatively impact LeBron James. One, take your time. I'll wait. Nobody is more fair, nobody digs deeper, maneuvers through the crevices to find the positive about LeBron James, no matter what the story is...But that's how LeBron talked about him," Smith concluded.
Stephen A. Smith slams LeBron for going after Brian Windhorst, pointing out that LeBron himself once said no one knows him better than Windhorst
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Related: LeBron James' Interview With Pat McAfee Turns Heads Amid Stephen A. Smith Feud
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This story was originally published March 27, 2025 at 12:34 AM.