Smith’s tone was considerably different during a podcast interview than on ESPN’s ‘First Take’
Who will have the last word on the confrontation between LeBron James and ESPN personality Stephen A. Smith that occurred during the Los Angeles Lakers’ 113-109 win over the New York Knicks at Crypto.com Arena last Thursday?
Smith staked his claim on finalizing the matter during an appearance on Gilbert Arenas’ “Gil’s Arena” podcast, taking issue with James approaching him courtside between the third and fourth quarters of Thursday’s matchup about remarks the commentator made about his son, Bronny, on ESPN.
“I thought it was weak, I thought it was some bulls***,” Smith said. “But, in the moment, I knew that I was listening to a father.”
Lip readers interpreted that James was telling Smith to “keep my son out of this s***, bro,” when he approached the pundit.
“I turn around and he’s right here in my face and says, ‘Yo, you gotta stop talking s–t about my son,'” Smith added with Arenas. “‘You gotta stop f–king with my son. That’s my son, that’s my son!'”
On Friday’s edition of ESPN’s “First Take,” Smith acknowledged James was sticking up for his son and seemed to empathize.
“That wasn’t a basketball player confronting me,” Smith said on Friday. “That was a parent, that was a father. I can’t sit here and be angry or feel slighted by LeBron James in any way in that regard.”
However, Smith had a less diplomatic tone when recounting the incident with Arenas.
What changed was how James framed the incident in a brief conversation with ESPN game analyst Richard Jefferson before the Lakers’ 111-101 loss to the Boston Celtics on Saturday, according to Smith. Audio of the exchange caught James saying to Jefferson, “Once he talks about, ‘I’m pleading you as a father,’ I can’t.”
Yet according to Smith, he was criticizing LeBron in his on-air remarks, not Bronny, and to say otherwise was disingenuous.
“I thought that he misrepresented the argument, I was glad he did,” Smith added. “Because what he was really talking about, which was confirmed with his conversation with Richard Jefferson, is that I was talking about him as a father. Had he said that to me, I wouldn’t have been thrown off. I would’ve came right back at him — ‘Yes I was, I was talking about you, you did this s***.'”
The exchange was the latest example of bickering between the two with Smith disputing James’ “B.S.” about how those who cover the NBA do nothing but criticize the league and its players. Both figures have a platform and don’t appear interested in backing down on their strong opinions, so the friction may continue as the NBA season moves toward the playoffs.
News
Young Thug Finally Settles Long-Running Beef With Lil Wayne — Hints at Secret Collab Album That Could Shake the Hip-Hop World
ATLANTA, GEORGIA – NOVEMBER 13: Rapper Young Thug speaks onstage at the 2021 REVOLT Summit at 787 Windsor on November 13, 2021 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty Images) Young Thug’s comments on Lil Wayne come after dropping his…
Rihanna Confronts Rising Star Tyla Over Flirty Messages With A$AP Rocky: A Tense Showdown That Shook the Music World
In the high-stakes universe of celebrity, where every glance, every smile, and every text is dissected by millions, a recent industry event in Los Angeles became the stage for a confrontation that has sent shockwaves across the music world. Rihanna,…
Diddy’s Former Bodyguard Big Homie CC Escapes U.S. Amid Mysterious Cyanide Poisonings and Car Crashes: “If He Walks Free, I’m Target Number One”
Big Homie CC, once the shadow and right-hand man of hip-hop mogul Diddy, has reportedly fled the United States, leaving behind a life of fame, luxury, and peril. The reason? A terrifying series of cyanide poisonings, all cleverly disguised…
Whispers of the Panther: Tupac’s Cousin Finally Speaks on Secrets, Betrayal, and the Vegas Conspiracy Sept. 15, 1996 Remembered: Tupac Shakur’s Shadowed Legacy
In the long shadow of a revolutionary bloodline, where the fire of the Black Panther Party still simmers, a voice once silenced has returned. William Lesane, Tupac Shakur’s first cousin and a quiet keeper of the family’s secrets, broke thirty…
“HE KNEW ABOUT THIS” — Evidence Suggests D4vd Was Informed That Celeste Rivas Had Been Placed in His Tesla
PARIS, FRANCE – JUNE 27: (EDITORIAL USE ONLY – For Non-Editorial use please seek approval from Fashion House) D4vd attends the Juun.J Menswear Spring/Summer 2026 show as part of Paris Fashion Week on June 27, 2025 in Paris, France. (Photo…
D4VD Case Sh0cker: Newly Released Official Report Finally Reveals the True Cause Behind Celeste Rivas’ Tragic Case— Confirms the Teen Was NOT Pregnant, Ending Days of Speculation
The mystery surrounding the death of Celeste Rivas deepened this week after her official death certificate revealed that the cause of death is still being deferred, pending toxicology results and further investigation. According to documents obtained by TMZ, the 15-year-old’s body was discovered…
End of content
No more pages to load
