Stephen A. Smith already addressed the viral incident between him and LeBron James.
But Smith had more to expound on — and he’s still not happy about it.
The ESPN “First Take” panelist appeared on “Gil’s Arena” on Tuesday and the nearly two-and-half-hour show delved into the incident that occurred during the Lakers-Knicks game on Thursday.
Smith called what James did “weak.”
“I thought it was some bulls–t,” Smith said when asked in general about the sideline argument. “But, in the moment, I knew that I was listening to a father.”
Smith delved into how he got the seats from his agency, WME, and in the third quarter at Crypto.com Arena, James came over during a timeout.
“I turn around and he’s right here in my face and says, ‘Yo, you gotta stop talking s–t about my son [Bronny]. You gotta stop f–king with my son. That’s my son, that’s my son!’”
“I’MMA TELL YOU ONE TIME, BRO. KEEP MY SON OUT OF THIS ****, BRO.”
What LeBron James allegedly said to Stephen A. Smith during a break in the Lakers vs. Knicks game 😳🗣️
Thoughts? 🤔
— Courtside Buzz (@CourtsideBuzzX) March 7, 2025
Smith said he suggested to James that they could chat after the game, but the Lakers star declined before again telling the talking head to stop saying certain things about Bronny on TV.
As Smith tells it, Smith saw Bronny looking at him with a “sad look on his face” during the first quarter.
Smith said he had no intentions of talking about the situation on TV until things went viral and his ESPN bosses said he had to discuss it, which he ended up doing on “First Take.”
After signing his new $100 million contract with ESPN last week, Smith said he was reluctant to make a big deal about it all.
James ended up talking to Richard Jefferson courtside in Boston on Sunday, which got Smith going.
“I thought that he misrepresented the argument, I was glad he did,” Smith continued. “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–t.’”
Smith reiterated that he never brings up parenting into his debates and analysis, but when Bronny, who ended up as a second-round pick of the Lakers in 2024 was drafted, things took on another level.
That was because, according to Smith, Bronny needed to “earn his stripes” in the G League after his NBA debut.
And while LeBron’s son has played some time there, he has suited up in 18 NBA games, averaging 1.4 points per game.
“I can’t ignore it,” Smith said when he saw Bronny’s stats shown on “SportsCenter.” “Because how am I doing my job if now you’re putting me in a position where because they but the stats up everyone is blowing it up? … How is all that happening but Stephen A. Smith’s got nothing to say? I can’t get away with it.”
Smith added that he prefaced his message to James with “as a dad” because he firmly believes the NBA icon marketed himself as such to get Bronny into the pros.
He later added that he’s rooting for Bronny and says the rookie has potential, reiterating his criticism was a pointed one at LeBron.
“I was talking about your ass — you. You did this,” Smith said. “All of us as reporters, as a league, as an NBA franchise, had to sit back and be quiet and capitulate to your s–t, you did that.”
Time will tell if things escalate further between James and Smith.
