LeBron James Fires Back at Stephen A. Smith in Heated Interview

LOS ANGELES, Calif. — LeBron James addressed his ongoing feud with ESPN‘s Stephen A. Smith in a candid interview on “The Pat McAfee Show,” aired Wednesday, March 26, 2025. The conversation came shortly after James confronted Smith courtside during a Lakers game against the New York Knicks on March 6.

In the interview, James expressed his frustrations over Smith’s remarks about his son, Bronny, asserting that the sports analyst had misconstrued his criticism. “He completely missed the whole point,” James stated. “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… That is all part of the game.”

James elaborated on the personal nature of Smith’s comments, saying, “When you take it and get personal with it, it’s my job not only to protect my damn household but to protect the players.” He also mockingly quipped that Smith was likely enjoying the attention, saying, “I know he’s going to be happy as hell when he hears me talking about him. He’s going to get home and grab some ice cream out of the f—king freezer and sit in his chair in his tighty-whities.”

Smith had expressed concerns during previous broadcasts that James might have influenced his son’s NBA career. “We all know that Bronny James is in the NBA because of his dad,” Smith said. Following the confrontation, he shared his thoughts on ESPN, YouTube, and other platforms, stating, “I turn around and he’s right here in my face and says, ‘Yo, you gotta stop talking s—t about my son.'”

Theheated exchange quickly captured media attention, with fans and commentators weighing in on the feud. James, the NBA’s all-time leading scorer, argued that Smith couldn’t wait to discuss their confrontation on his show, referencing Smith’s initial denial of wanting to address the issue publicly. “It started off with ‘I didn’t want to address it… but since the video came out I feel the need to address.’ You couldn’t wait till the video comes out so you can address it,” he mocked.

Following the controversy, James faced a minor setback, suffering a groin injury during a subsequent game against the Boston Celtics but made a comeback after two weeks. Meanwhile, his son Bronny has thrived, scoring a career-high 17 points for the Lakers in a loss against the Milwaukee Bucks on March 20 and exploding for 39 points in a G League game shortly thereafter.

Smith responded to the incident in a follow-up discussion on “First Take,” where he acknowledged that James confronted him as a father rather than just as a basketball player. “That wasn’t a basketball player confronting me. That was a parent. That was a father… it’s my job to talk about the subjects that matter,” Smith explained.

As the story unfolded, tensions remained high, with both James and Smith continuing to engage in public discussions about their altercation. “I thought it was weak, I thought it was some bulls***,’ Smith later remarked, expressing his frustrations over James’s approach.

Despite the public spat, it remains to be seen how this feud will influence their respective careers and the ongoing narrative surrounding the NBA and media coverage.