Stephen A. Smith, a star at ESPN who recently signed a lucrative contract extension with the network, discussed his recent encounter with four-time NBA champion LeBron James.
Smith was present at the Los Angeles Lakers’ overtime win against the New York Knicks on Thursday, but the altercation between Smith and James stole the spotlight from the game.
Smith explained that the interaction revolved around the NBA superstar’s concerns about comments the TV personality had made about his eldest son, Bronny James. Smith described the incident as “unexpected.”
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Stephen A. Smith and LeBron James (IMAGN)
“LeBron James approached me unexpectedly to address my comments about his son, and I should be mindful of what I say about him,” Smith revealed on “First Take.”
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“I can’t repeat his exact words as they were not appropriate for FCC airwaves. This caught me off guard. I contemplated not discussing this at all, but it became unavoidable after it went viral, so I had to address it,” Smith added, referring to the viral moment.
“It was a one-on-one confrontation that I had not planned to share publicly, but due to its viral nature, it was necessary,” he continued.
Oct 23, 2024; Inglewood, California, USA; Stephen A. Smith (Stephen Smith) on the ESPN NBA Countdown live set at Intuit Dome. (Kirby Lee-Imagn Images)
Smith characterized the exchange as a conversation between two fathers rather than a discussion between a basketball player and a TV personality.
Los Angeles Lakers guard Bronny James (9) and forward LeBron James (23) warming up before the game against the Phoenix Suns at Crypto.com Arena. (Jonathan Hui-Imagn Images)
“LeBron James wasn’t approaching me as a basketball player but as a father. I don’t harbor any ill feelings towards him for that. He’s clearly a loving father who deeply cares for his son and took offense to comments he heard me make,” Smith mentioned.
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Smith expressed openness to further private conversations with James.
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