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[Saba Sports News] LeBron James has been in the headlines this week—not for his on-court play, as he’s sidelined with a groin injury, but for a public spat with Stephen A. Smith.
The drama began courtside when LeBron was seen confronting Smith, which many lip-readers and eavesdroppers believe was over Smith’s past critical remarks about his son, Bronny James.
Bronny, now on the Los Angeles Lakers, has been a hot topic since entering the league, and LeBron has made it clear he doesn’t appreciate media criticism of his son. The latest incident with Smith led fans to dig up an old clip of Colin Cowherd discussing LeBron’s sensitivity regarding Bronny.
“In the NBA, you have to pretend that Bronny is an NBA player because otherwise, you’ll upset the King,” Cowherd remarked. “He’s a 6’2″ guard who’s a non-point guard. I have never seen that exist in the current NBA. Go back 20 years… He’s not an NBA player. He was not a great high school player—he was good. He wasn’t a good college player—he was a college player. And he’s not an NBA player. He may be a great kid, I’m sure he is. LeBron’s a nice guy, I’ve met him. But can we stop pretending about this?”
Bronny’s journey has been under an intense spotlight since day one, receiving disproportionate media coverage for a player selected late in the second round. His full NBA contract, despite being unproven, has fueled debates about nepotism.
His on-court struggles have been evident, averaging just 1.4 points over 18 games this season. The criticism escalated after JJ Redick gave Bronny significant playing time against the Philadelphia 76ers, where Tyrese Maxey exposed the rookie’s inexperience. The poor performance led Stephen A. Smith to directly plead with LeBron to remove Bronny from the NBA.
“I’m really, really trying to be as respectful as possible to LeBron James—one of the top two or three players in basketball history,” Smith said. “I am pleading with LeBron James as a father: stop this. Stop this.”
While Bronny has shown flashes of promise in the G League, averaging 20.6 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 5.2 assists, he has yet to prove himself as an NBA-ready player. The challenge for him isn’t just improving his game—it’s escaping his father’s massive shadow.
As long as the media continues discussing him as an extension of LeBron rather than as his own player, Bronny may never get a fair chance to carve out his own identity in the league.