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[Saba Sports News] LeBron James drew attention last week when he confronted Stephen A. Smith during a Lakers game, and former NBA All-Star Gordon Hayward believes the situation could have been handled differently.
A viral video captured James angrily addressing Smith during a timeout in the Lakers’ matchup against the New York Knicks. It quickly became clear that LeBron was upset over Smith’s coverage of his son, Bronny James.
During an appearance on FanDuel TV’s Run It Back, Hayward weighed in on the incident, acknowledging that many players feel the urge to confront media figures but insisting that doing so publicly isn’t the right move.
“I think we all have moments where we want to confront the talking heads because a lot of stuff they say is just second-hand information,” Hayward said. “Me, personally, I would never do that in public like that. I don’t think that’s the time or the place.”
Smith himself admitted he was caught off guard by the confrontation and would have preferred LeBron to reach out privately.
The ESPN analyst has been critical of LeBron’s influence in securing NBA minutes for Bronny, arguing that the young guard should be developing full-time in the G League. With Bronny averaging just 25.8% shooting in limited minutes this season, Smith’s stance is shared by many.
While LeBron felt the need to defend his son, his decision to confront Smith mid-game has sparked debate. As one of the most influential figures in basketball, James is no stranger to scrutiny—and handling criticism comes with the territory.