The relationship between LeBron James and Stephen A. Smith hasn’t been very friendly in recent months. Months after their viral confrontation in March during the Lakers-Knicks match, the ESPN analyst has finally come up with an honest revelation. The Los Angeles Lakers star had approached Smith courtside over the sports personality’s comments on Bronny James. The occurrence soon went viral, highlighting intense tension between the two. Now, months later, Smith has revealed his relationship with the legendary player remains strained.
Stephen A. Smith Gets Brutally Honest on LeBron James
Stephen A. Smith has admitted that he and James don’t like each other. Additionally, the two will never like each other. During an interview with Danyel Smith at The Rolling Stone, Smith said, “I don’t like him, and he don’t like me.” However, the NBA analyst acknowledged that he is “going to show him that respect” for being “one of the greatest players who’s ever lived.”
Smith continued by saying that he is going to “applaud” LeBron when the player does “great” and “when he doesn’t do great, I’m not gonna applaud.” The 57-year-old went on to mention his son again by saying, “He hid behind his son, tried to make something out of nothing as if I was dogging his son, which I was not.” Smith further said that “the real issue was we don’t like each other. And he used that as an excuse to confront me. I got it.”
Smith and LeBron have an extensive history. While it’s clear they don’t like each other, hopefully, Smith can remain professional when covering James.
The History Between Stephen A. Smith and LeBron
The reference takes us back to their intense confrontation mentioned above, which happened during the Lakers-Knicks game on March 6. LeBron allegedly asked Smith, “Keep my son out of this s*it.” It seems that the incident remains relevant to the ESPN analyst, as he has mentioned that occurrence months later. Smith has also made it clear that the feud between the two isn’t just a trivial rivalry, but much more than that. “We’re never gonna like each other.”
Smith, during the aforementioned interview, stated that he is going to treat LeBron “just like any other player I cover.” Additionally, nothing can stop him from his “professional integrity.” It seems like the situation between the two isn’t likely to change. “I don’t have to like you to be fair to you,” Smith told The Rolling Stones.
LeBron recently pointed out that he isn’t a fan of ring culture. During the latest episode of the Mind the Game podcast, the Lakers forward argued that “a ring is a team achievement.” He also mentioned players like Allen Iverson, Charles Barkley, and Steve Nash, who never won a championship, should be considered in the list of all-time greats. The four-time NBA Champion highlighted that greatness goes beyond winning the titles. However, Smith believes it contradicted his previous actions when he left Cleveland for Miami.
Smith, during his recent appearance on First Take, questioned LeBron, “If [winning a championship] didn’t mean much or shouldn’t mean much … Why were you so relieved to finally have one? Why did you depart Cleveland to go to Miami?” The NBA pundit additionally stated that James left Cleveland for Miami to form an exceptional team with players like Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh. It is to be seen how the four-time NBA Finals MVP responds to these comments.
The Last Word
Amid all these conversations and the feud with Smith, James continues to recover from a knee injury ahead of the upcoming season. LeBron is preparing for a historic 23rd season and is still playing at an elite level. Regardless of your opinion of LeBron, his greatness is undeniable.
Featured image: © Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images
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