LeBron James Fires Back at Stephen A. Smith in Fiery ESPN Interview

LOS ANGELES, March 26, 2025 — LeBron James addressed his ongoing feud with ESPN analyst Stephen A. Smith during an interview on The Pat McAfee Show, which aired Wednesday. The NBA star’s comments came after a heated exchange with Smith that occurred on March 6 during a Lakers game against the New York Knicks.

During the interview, James criticized Smith’s personal remarks about his son, Bronny James. “He completely missed the whole point,” James said, responding to Smith’s previous comments about his son’s performance in the NBA. “Never would I ever not allow people who talk about the sport to criticize players about what they do on the court. That is your job to criticize… When you take it and get personal with it, it’s my job not only to protect my damn household but protect the players.”

The confrontation between the two public figures has drawn significant attention in recent weeks. Reports indicated that Smith commented on Bronny’s status, suggesting that he only made it to the NBA because of LeBron’s influence. Smith stated, “I am pleading with LeBron James as a father: stop this. Stop this,” to which James responded vehemently, asserting, “You gotta stop f–king with my son. That’s my son, that’s my son!”

Recognizing Smith’s repeated attempts to discuss the incident, James mockingly noted, “He’s like on a Taylor Swift tour run right now.” He further criticized Smith’s efforts to retain public attention by examining their confrontation in media appearances. “It started off with ‘I didn’t want to address it… but since the video came out I feel the need to address it.’ You couldn’t wait till the video comes out so you can address it,” James added.

The tension escalated following the verbal sparring, but James remained focused on his team’s performance. He faced a setback in his subsequent game against the Boston Celtics due to a groin injury. However, after two weeks away from the court, he returned to play, while Bronny has been gradually emerging as a strong player in the NBA G League.

Amid this backdrop, Bronny scored a career-high 17 points in a game against the Milwaukee Bucks on March 20, and then followed that performance with an impressive 39-point game for the Lakers’ G League affiliate, further illustrating his development in professional basketball.

As this saga continues to unfold, fans and analysts alike are eager to see how both LeBron and his son will navigate the challenges associated with being in the public eye and under relentless scrutiny.