If you’ve been following the NBA recently, you’re more than likely familiar with the ongoing feud between ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith and Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James.
Things came to a head on Thursday morning when Smith opened his popular debate show, First Take, with a 15-minute monologue about the situation, and said some pretty pointed things.
“I suggest that he be happy with the things that I haven’t brought up,” Smith said in a clip posted to Twitter by Awful Announcing. “I never brought up really and never really discussed why you were not at Kobe Bryant’s memorial service.
“I never really brought up or discussed why you did not attend Dwyane Wade’s Hall of Fame induction when that man was directly responsible for you capturing a championship for the first time in your career.”
Things have progressed to the point where NBA commissioner Adam Silver felt the need to weigh in on Thursday.
“We’re a particular sport in which that kind of debate seems to be part of the DNA of this league,” Silver said, per Awful Announcing.
“And I’m jealous, sometimes it seems that other sports that I’m a fan of, and when I watch the coverage, particularly around the games, it seems to be more celebratory often than it is in the NBA. And I accept it. I mean, we’re often the beneficiary too.
“There’s seemingly as much social media interest in this league, at times, than all the other leagues combined. Sometimes it’s measured in column inches and it’s wonderful to see so much interest in our sport. Other times, I cringe at a lot of the coverage. I would say in terms of that back and forth … I of course would like the focus to be on the play on the floor. And I feel particularly protective of our players, of course.”
It’ll be interesting to see if ESPN makes Smith walk back some of his words.