LeBron James Confronts Stephen A. Smith Over Son’s Criticism

Los Angeles, CA – LeBron James confronted ESPN personality Stephen A. Smith during a timeout on Thursday evening, following the Lakers’ 113-109 overtime victory against the New York Knicks. The incident arose after Smith publicly criticized James’ son, Bronny, for his performance in the NBA.

Video footage captured James, who scored 31 points in the game, walking over to Smith courtside and appearing to express his frustration. Eyewitnesses observed James taking out his gum guard and saying, “Keep my son out of this s— bro,” as Smith stood up in response.

Smith later reacted to the tension, stating, “I’m really, really trying to be as respectful as I can possibly be towards LeBron James, a treasure to the game of basketball. I am pleading with LeBron James as a father, stop this.” He added that Bronny is currently benefiting from playing in the G League to develop his skills.

Smith noted, “We all know Bronny James is in the NBA because of his dad.” However, he emphasized the need for patience, as Bronny has struggled in limited NBA action, averaging 1.4 points over 18 games this season.

Despite expressing support for Bronny, Smith’s critical remarks about his readiness for the NBA drew ire from James. He explained, “You know what people are saying, you know what they’re going to do to this kid,” insisting that playing Bronny before he’s prepared could be detrimental to his image.

Anticipating further discussion on the incident, Smith is expected to address the confrontation on his show, First Take, on Friday.

The altercation follows Smith’s earlier comments regarding the pressure of being LeBron’s son. He mentioned, “It would be cruel to root against him; he’s a wonderful kid, and I wish him all the best. But he’s LeBron James’ son and everybody knows what attention that brings.”

In the aftermath, former NBA star Gilbert Arenas humorously warned James on his podcast about approaching Smith. Arenas said, “LeBron James, if you ever do that s— again with my potential boss, all hell is going to break loose.”

While James continues to perform at a high level, averaging 25.1 points, 8.5 assists, and 8.1 rebounds per game, the Lakers sit second in the Western Conference, bolstered by a recent trade for Luka Doncic. Meanwhile, James is expected to miss one to two weeks due to a groin injury, further complicating team dynamics.