The dust had barely settled on the public clash between Stephen A. Smith and LeBron James before the longtime sports commentator stoked the fire once again.
During a recent appearance on The Pivot podcast, Smith reopened old wounds, this time accusing LeBron of treating Black journalists differently than white ones, pushing their strained relationship further into public drama.
The feud began earlier this year when LeBron James confronted Smith on the sidelines of a Los Angeles Lakers game.
The NBA star took issue with comments made about his son, Bronny James, during a segment of ESPN’s First Take.
“He completely missed the whole point,” LeBron said of Smith.
“Never would I ever not allow people to criticize players about what they do on the court. That’s your job to criticize… but when you take it and get personal with it, it’s my job to not only protect my damn household, and to protect my players.”
His frustration stemmed from what he viewed as an unnecessary and personal dig aimed at his son, who is still at the very beginning of his basketball journey.
The exchange was intense, and though some hoped time would calm things down, Smith clearly had other ideas.
Smith escalates the situation with racial accusation
In his recent podcast interview, Stephen A. Smith questioned LeBron’s consistency in confronting media critics, implying a racial double standard.
“You ever see LeBron go at a white boy? Let’s call it what it is. You ever see him do that? You saw him come at me,” Smith said bluntly.
“Closest you ever came to seeing him do something like that was when he called out Brian Windhorst.”
He continued: “What you calling out Brian Windhorst for? The man covered you since junior high school and has praised you repeatedly, and you used the Pat McAfee situation to go at him.
That’s the only time you ever seen LeBron James really go at somebody white. I’m going to call it what it is.”
It’s a bold accusation that adds an entirely new dimension to the ongoing feud. Smith is no stranger to controversy, but this latest comment introduces racial implications into a dispute that had previously centered around media ethics and family protection.
While LeBron hasn’t publicly responded to these new remarks, the fallout could be significant. James is known for his composure and leadership both on and off the court, but he’s also fiercely protective of his family, particularly when media coverage crosses a line he feels is inappropriate.
The timing of Smith’s remarks also seems deliberate. With the NBA season underway and Bronny James continuing to generate attention, it’s possible that Smith is doubling down to maintain relevance in the ongoing discourse around the James family.
One thing is clear: reconciliation is not on the horizon. Stephen A. Smith has made it evident he isn’t backing down.
By reigniting this feud so publicly, and adding another layer to it, he’s practically inviting LeBron to respond. Whether that response comes on camera, online, or in a future sideline conversation remains to be seen.
Read the full article here
