LeBron James notched a double-double for the Los Angeles Lakers in Thursday’s additional time win over the New York Knicks, however a tense dialogue with Stephen A. Smith courtside after the sport proved to be the viral second of the night. The ESPN commentator addressed the confrontation Friday, saying James approached Smith to debate his prior feedback about James’ son, Bronny.
“That was LeBron James coming as much as me, unexpectedly I would add, to confront me about ensuring that I thoughts what I say about his son,” Smith mentioned on Friday’s “First Take,” when discussing a clip of the second. “Can’t repeat the phrases as a result of they ain’t suited to FCC airwaves. That’s what he was doing.”
“That wasn’t a basketball participant confronting me. That was a guardian, that was a father,” Smith continued. “And I can’t sit right here and be indignant or really feel slighted by LeBron James in any manner in that regard. By all accounts, he’s clearly a beautiful household man and great father who cares very deeply about his son. And based mostly on a number of the feedback he had heard — or shall I say I believe he thought he heard — he clearly took exception to a number of the issues that he heard me say. And he confronted me about it.”
Stephen A. Smith mentioned on ESPN’s First Take Friday morning that he understands why LeBron James confronted him after the Lakers’ win on Thursday night time. pic.twitter.com/KgNMqtVoSt
— The Athletic (@TheAthletic) March 7, 2025
Whereas Smith appeared to don’t have any situation with James defending his son, he did take exception to James approaching him publicly, saying James didn’t name him or arrange a gathering to debate the matter, although James “is aware of the best way to get involved with (him) if he needed to.” Smith, who was sitting courtside with Endeavor CEO Ari Emanuel and comic Larry David throughout the sport, added that “apparently (James) looks like (Smith) was slighting his son.”
Smith mentioned if he had a one-on-one dialog with James, he would have instructed him that he’d “by no means converse negatively” about Bronny, who was drafted to the Lakers final yr within the second spherical. “I used to be speaking about you, which means you, LeBron James,” Smith added.
“I’ve nothing however the very best needs for Bronny James,” Smith mentioned. “I want him nothing however the very best. I hope he thrives into an NBA star. … However in the identical breath, within the time we have been speaking about him, he was percolating to such a level that the Bronny James tales had gone viral. And so we needed to speak about it (on “First Take”) and so after I mentioned the issues that I mentioned, I wasn’t speaking about Bronny James as a result of my perspective is he’s a rookie, he’s gonna take a while to get himself collectively. He’ll be simply superb, particularly with J.J. Redick and the employees teaching him. I used to be speaking in regards to the place he was put in by his dad.”
Smith mentioned throughout a January episode of “First Take” that he was “pleading with LeBron James as a father: cease this” and “everyone knows that Bronny James is within the NBA due to his dad.”
Throughout Friday’s present, Smith introduced up prior quotes from James about his son’s expertise, together with James saying in previous years that Bronny might play for the Lakers “proper now” and that Bronny was higher than present NBA gamers.
“My level months in the past was that due to who you might be — one of many prime two gamers within the historical past of basketball in my estimation — (there) is an immense quantity of stress that comes with that for his son,” Smith mentioned Friday. “And when he talked like that, and what have you ever, something that goes awry, because it pertains to his son, there’s gonna be a microscopic eye much more intensified on Bronny James due to his dad and what his dad had mentioned.”
Smith mentioned “it was all about his son” relating to the latest dialog with James and, “As a father, I get it. I’m not offended. I’m not insulted. I don’t have animosity or animus towards LeBron James for this. Nothing like that.”
“I don’t assume he cares however neither do I. … If I used to be in his place, I can’t definitively say I might not have finished the identical factor. I’m not blaming him one bit. I get it. I perceive it. And there’s part of me that aches and hurts due to it,” he continued.
Smith — who not too long ago agreed to a brand new contract with ESPN value a minimum of $100 million for 5 years, in a deal that’s anticipated to free him as much as discuss extra about politics — closed his feedback by saying he’s “not upset” however that he wished the confrontation was in a personal setting.
“I don’t blame LeBron James for being upset. I don’t blame him for being indignant. I don’t blame him for eager to confront me as a result of that wasn’t a celebrity basketball participant. … That was a daddy,” he mentioned.
Required studying
(Photograph: Tim Heitman / Getty Photographs)