In the world of sports media, few rivalries spark as much drama as Stephen A. Smith versus LeBron James. The ESPN analyst is once again making headlines after reigniting his feud with the Lakers superstar, claiming that James treats journalists differently depending on their race.
The Origins of the Confrontation
The tension dates back to March when cameras captured a heated exchange between Smith and James during a Lakers game against Smith’s beloved New York Knicks. The conflict reportedly began after Smith made comments about James’ son, Bronny, which the NBA star did not take lightly.
Now, months later, Smith has revisited the incident in a candid interview on The Pivot Podcast with Ryan Clark, where he openly questioned the way LeBron interacts with certain members of the media.
Race and Media Treatment
Smith did not hold back when discussing his perception of James’ behavior toward reporters.
“You ever see LeBron go at a White boy? Let’s call it what it is. You ever see him do that? You saw him come at me,” Smith said.
He argued that his own critique of Bronny was fair and professional, and that James’ reaction was unwarranted.
“Anybody with professional ethics, who knows sports and knows what comes with it, knows that I did not do anything wrong to that young man. But to paint me as somebody that would attack a child, just because I dislike you, it’s low, it’s low,” Smith added.
Comparing LeBron’s Reactions
Smith highlighted that the only other instance James had publicly confronted a white journalist was with Brian Windhorst, who has followed James’ career since high school.
“You saw him come at me. Closest you ever came to seeing him do something like that to a white journalist was when he called out Brian Windhorst,” Smith explained.
Smith noted that James’ criticism of Windhorst came during the Pat McAfee controversy, even though Windhorst has long supported and praised the Lakers legend.
“That’s the only time you ever saw LeBron James really go at somebody white. I’m going to call it what it is,” Smith said.
Standing by His Comments
The ESPN analyst doubled down on his original remarks about Bronny, insisting that James was in the wrong.
“LeBron was wrong, and he will forever be wrong,” Smith stated. “Anybody in this business, or athletes running podcasts who don’t see it, just consider yourself blind or unethical. Because anyone with professional ethics knows I did nothing wrong to that young man.”
Smith emphasized that his criticism was never personal against Bronny but targeted at James’ reaction.
“The last straw was him approaching me and turning the Bronny thing into something about me attacking somebody’s family, when it was him I was talking about. Not Bronny,” Smith said.
A Longstanding Rivalry
This isn’t the first time Smith and James have clashed publicly. Smith has previously labeled James a “liar” and a “bully,” even claiming that if James had physically confronted him, he would have defended himself.
LeBron, for his part, has downplayed the feud in public appearances, joking on The Pat McAfee Show that Smith is “on a Taylor Swift tour run right now,” referring to Smith’s repeated commentary on the conflict.
In August, Smith admitted he has no personal relationship with James, saying, “He doesn’t like me, and I don’t like him… if I never, ever speak to him again in life, that will be OK. And I’m good with it. There’s nobody that can mediate.”
Looking Ahead
Despite the tension, Smith remains committed to doing his job and being prepared for any future encounters with James.
“And if there’s another confrontation, I assure you I’ll be better ready and better prepared this time. I promise you that,” he said.
For now, the feud continues, with Smith standing firm in his criticism and James choosing humor and subtle digs to respond.