LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers took down the New York Knicks in overtime on Thursday, but the real fireworks came after the game.
Once L.A. finished off its 113-109 victory, cameras captured James having what seemed to be an intense conversation with ESPN's Stephen A. Smith, who was sitting courtside for the affair.
The clip quickly went viral as fans tried to puzzle out what the Lakers' superstar could have to say to the hot take artist. Then Smith announced he'd address the situation on First Take on Friday morning. He did just that.
"That was LeBron James coming up to me, unexpectedly I might add, to confront me about making sure I mind what I say about his son," Smith said. "I can't repeat the words because they ain't suited for FCC airwaves. That's what he was doing.
"I thought long and hard about this over the last few hours because I had no intention, Molly, of talking about this at all. The reason why is because it was a one-on-one, I wouldn't say a conversation, but it was a one-on-one confrontation. But then I wake up and everybody from ESPN and my agent and everybody else is sending me this thing that's going viral. Ultimately it was unavoidable and that is why I have to discuss it now.
"That wasn't a basketball player confronting me. That was a parent. That was a father. I can't sit here and be angry or feel slighted by LeBron James in any way in that regard. By all accounts he's obviously a wonderful family man and a wonderful father who cares very, very deeply about his son. Based on some of the comments he had heard, or shall I say I think he thought he heard, he clearly took exception to some of the things he heard me say. He confronted me about it.
"For the record, his agent and friend Rich Paul has my number. Maverick Carter, who works under him, has my number. LeBron James knows how to get in contact with me if he wanted to. He never called. Because had he called and wanted to talk to me, I would have accepted that call. Had he wanted to see me, I would have flown out and I would have seen him and I would have had a conversation man-to-man. But that is not what he elected to do. Instead he elected to confront me while I was sitting courtside... He walked right up to me, and he said what he had to say. Apparently he feels like I was slighting his son."
Stephen A. Smith begins First Take confirming that LeBron James confronted him at last night's Lakers game over comments about Bronny James.
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) March 7, 2025
"That wasn't a basketball player confronting me, that was a parent, that was a father." pic.twitter.com/QTWmScRIGF
Smith continued, stating he doesn't take any offense because as a fellow father he's not sure he wouldn't have done the same thing. He also explained his points about the younger James at length.
"When I said the things that I said, I wasn't talking about Bronny James because my attitude is, he's a rookie, he's going to take some time to get himself together, he'll be just fine. Especially with JJ Redick on the staff coaching him. I was talking about the position he was put in by his dad... I could be a bit more outspoken about it. But to be quite honest with you, to be in that moment, to have LeBron look at me the way that he did, to be a father of two daughters, for me to know how much love fathers have for their children, and to hear what he had to say, it was all about his son... It was like he was saying, 'Keep that between me and you.' Almost as if he was thinking that anything I said about Bronny was a result of him.
But I really understood where he was coming from. He was very, very upset. I could tell... As a father, I get it. I'm not offended. I'm not insulted. I don't have any animosity or animus towards LeBron James for this. Nothing like that. I don't think he cares. Neither do I. I'm just stating a fact. None of that exists. If I was in his position, I can't definitively say I would not have done the same thing. I'm not blaming him one bit. I get it. I understand it."
Stephen A. Smith continued to talk about his relationship with LeBron James and the confrontation.
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) March 7, 2025
"As a father, I get it. I'm not offended, I'm not insulted, I don't have any animosity or animus towards LeBron James for this... I don't think he cares, but neither do I... if I… pic.twitter.com/U9Pd9UUrxz
Earlier this year Smith had a strong take about LeBron's son, Bronny, go viral in which he made a plea to James "as a father" to stop allowing Bronny to play in NBA games before he's ready. In 2024 Smith blamed LeBron for all the media scrutiny his son has received, proclaiming "this is his fault" and "any attention that (Bronny) has warranted has been because of his daddy."
It seems LeBron had enough and decided to say something to Smith after Thursday night's game.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Stephen A. Smith Explains Viral 'Confrontation' With LeBron James.
