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[Saba Sports News] LeBron James confronted Stephen A. Smith during Thursday night’s game between the New York Knicks and Los Angeles Lakers, and most fans believe they know why he was so upset.
A viral video captured LeBron sternly addressing Smith during a break in play at Crypto.com Arena. While the exact reason for the exchange remains unknown, many speculate that it stemmed from Smith’s criticism of how LeBron has handled his son, Bronny James.
Smith, like many others, has been vocal about LeBron’s push for Bronny to split time between the Lakers and the G League. The 20-year-old guard has struggled in his limited NBA minutes, shooting just 25.8% from the field over 76 total minutes played.
Back in January on First Take, Smith publicly urged LeBron to stop forcing the issue.
“I am pleading with LeBron James, as a father—stop this,” Smith said. “We all know that Bronny James is in the NBA because of his dad. We love what we’re seeing from him in the G League, because that’s where he belongs as he hones his skills and gets better. … Right now, Bronny James is averaging 0.3 points, 0.3 assists, and 0.4 rebounds. How are you doing him favors? We know that he’s not ready yet.”
Just days later, on The Stephen A. Smith Show, Smith revealed that people from LeBron’s camp had been messaging him, accusing him of “questioning LeBron as a father.” Smith dismissed the backlash, saying the “LeBron sensitivity” had gotten out of hand.
While Bronny has shown flashes of potential in the G League, his NBA performances have been underwhelming.
Many believe his brief stint in the Lakers’ season opener, which made him and LeBron the first father-son duo to play in the NBA together, should have been his only appearance this season.
Smith is simply doing his job as an analyst—a job ESPN clearly values, as shown by the massive new contract they awarded him.
If LeBron wants to use his influence to secure NBA minutes for his son, he should also be prepared to handle the scrutiny that comes with it.