NBA Commissioner Adam Silver addressed the ongoing public feud between Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James and ESPN analyst Stephen A. Smith, calling for a more professional tone as tensions continue to rise between the two high-profile figures.
Silver shared his reaction during a recent league meeting, where he became aware of the viral exchanges. NBA insider Brett Siegel posted Silver’s remarks to X, formerly known as Twitter.
“I received several texts that said, ‘Are you watching this?' (during the meeting). … We are a particular sport in which that kind of debate seems to be a part of this league,” Silver said.
The dispute between James and Smith dates back to earlier comments made by the First Take host suggesting that Bronny James’ NBA opportunities stemmed solely from his father’s influence. Smith also criticized James' parenting, which led to a courtside confrontation during the Lakers’ March 6 win over the New York Knicks.
Silver stated he had not yet reviewed the most recent developments.
“In terms of that back-and-forth, I haven't had a chance to watch or read what happened today.”
On Wednesday, James appeared on The Pat McAfee Show and took a swipe at Smith’s public presence.
“He’s like on a Taylor Swift tour run right now,” James said.
Stephen A. Smith questions LeBron James' character as Adam Silver warns against personal attacks
Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) after the game against the Indiana Pacers at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
© Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images
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In response, Smith escalated the situation during Thursday morning’s First Take, criticizing James for perceived absences at significant events, including Kobe Bryant’s memorial service.
“I never brought up really & never really discussed why you were not at Kobe Bryant's memorial service,” Smith said. “I never really brought up or discussed why you did not attend Dwyane Wade's Hall of Fame induction.”
Outlets including The Los Angeles Times, The Washington Post, and Entertainment Tonight confirmed that James attended Kobe Bryant’s memorial service in 2020. Regarding Wade’s Hall of Fame induction on August 12, 2023, James likely had been tending to his son Bronny, who had suffered a cardiac arrest just weeks earlier on July 24.
Silver expressed concern over how personal the exchanges have become.
“When it becomes very personal between a media member and a player, it's not something I want to see as the commissioner of this league,” Silver said.
The Lakers, now 44-28 following a narrow 120-119 victory over the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday night, will face the Chicago Bulls (32-40) on Thursday at 8:00 p.m. ET. James sealed the win against Indiana with a buzzer-beater tip-in.
Los Angeles currently sits one game behind the Denver Nuggets (46-28) for the third seed in the Western Conference as they push toward playoff positioning.