The public confrontation between ESPN personality Stephen A. Smith and Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James has intensified dramatically, with Smith claiming he would have “immediately swung” at the NBA’s all-time leading scorer had James made physical contact during their initial courtside encounter earlier this month.
The dispute, which began over Smith’s commentary about James’ son Bronny, has now evolved into a multi-platform exchange spanning television appearances, social media posts, and YouTube broadcasts with increasingly personal attacks from both sides.
Courtside Confrontation Sparks Tension
According to Yahoo Sports, the conflict originated during a March 6 Lakers game when James approached Smith courtside and reportedly said, “Yo, you gotta stop talking s*** about my son. You gotta stop f***ing with my son. That’s my son, that’s my son!”
Smith addressed the incident on his YouTube show Wednesday night, escalating the situation by comparing it to the infamous Will Smith-Chris Rock Oscars altercation while suggesting a potentially more violent outcome. “I would have gotten my ass kicked, because had that man put his hands on me, I would have immediately swung on him. Immediately,” Smith declared.
The ESPN commentator also accused James of lying about his coverage of Bronny James, who was selected 55th overall by the Lakers in the 2024 NBA Draft. “LeBron James is full of it and in this particular instance, as it pertains to his son, he is a liar,” Smith stated.
The opening of @FirstTake today responding to the last 24 hours pic.twitter.com/y05Bk57rLa
— Stephen A Smith (@stephenasmith) March 27, 2025
Social Media Retaliation
Following Smith’s comments, James responded on Instagram by posting an old video of Smith awkwardly training in a boxing ring. The passive-aggressive post further intensified the public nature of their disagreement.
Smith addressed this response during Thursday’s episode of “First Take,” characterizing James’ social media post as “petty” and suggesting deeper motivations behind the NBA star’s apparent sensitivity.
“You’re LeBron James. You’re that butt hurt over the things that I’m saying that you would post that video,” Smith said. “When has LeBron James ever done something like that? But suddenly you’re doing that as it pertains to me. This man is in his feelings.”
The GOAT Debate Factor
Smith believes James’ true grievance stems from his stance in basketball’s eternal “greatest of all time” debate. Sports Illustrated reported that Smith claimed during his monologue that James holds a grudge because “I don’t believe you’re the GOAT? Because I’ll never believe you’re the GOAT? Because I have you No. 2 at all times?”
The timing is particularly noteworthy as it comes just three weeks after Smith publicly declared he was “retiring the Jordan vs. LeBron debate” – a promise now seemingly abandoned amid the escalating feud.
Bronny’s Development at Center
Lost in the increasingly personal exchanges is the original subject of disagreement: Smith’s commentary about rookie Bronny James. Smith maintains his coverage has been fair and factual rather than derogatory.
“I have not been talking about Bronny James. I have not, as LeBron James accused me of doing to my face, been s***ting on his son,” Smith insisted. He characterized his comments as merely highlighting “what we all knew, which is he’s not ready yet.”
The rookie has recently shown flashes of potential, scoring a career-high 17 points in an NBA game when the Lakers were short-handed and exploding for 39 points in a G League performance on Monday.
Performance Amid Controversy
Despite the off-court drama, the elder James demonstrated his trademark composure under pressure Wednesday night. After struggling with just three points on 0-for-6 shooting through three quarters against the Indiana Pacers, James scored 10 points in the fourth quarter and delivered a game-winning tip-in at the buzzer.
The contrasting priorities were apparent as James focused on delivering in clutch moments on the court while Smith devoted significant broadcast time to the personal dispute – even as he claimed, “I don’t need something like this to happen to talk about LeBron.”
With neither party showing signs of backing down, this highly public confrontation between one of sports media’s most prominent voices and basketball’s most recognizable active player appears poised to continue, adding another chapter to the complex relationship between athletes and the media personalities who cover them.
