Espn Pundit Stephen A. Smith returned LeBron James’ volley Wednesday after Los Angeles Lakers star fired shots on the TV station at “The Pat McAfee Show” over their confrontation earlier this month.
James Mocked Smith as someone was going on a “Taylor Swift Tour Run” over explaining the fiery moment at Crypto.com Arena. He also knocked fun at Smith to say that he would not initially tackle the moment but only did it because the video became viral and he had to do so.
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Los Angeles Lakers Spider LeBron James, #23, interacts with son Bronny James during the game against Boston Celtics at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles on January 23, 2025. (Kirby Lee-Preferred Pictures)
The Lakers player said Smith “missed the whole point” of the argument. James said he not only defended Bronny James, his son, but also his teammate, after Smith criticized Bronny for being in the NBA in the first place.
Smith fired back at James later Wednesday on his own podcast. He began to say that James was “full of it” and that he “lied again” at McAfee’s show.
“I didn’t know he would roll up on me,” Smith said. “I had no idea. But when he said what he had to say, I wasn’t able to give any kind of retort without making a scene. It was over the third quarter. It was fresh out of a timeout. It was him who went to the basketball court. It was on national TV, the cameras rolled, and I have done something, what do you all want me to do? Rock and will I throw?
Stephen A. Smith in 2021. (IMagn)
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“And let me tell the record that while we raise it, let me assure you that it wouldn’t have gone down like that. I would have got my a-kicked. Because if that man put my hands on me, I would have turned on him immediately. Immediately I wouldn’t tolerate that. But I knew he wouldn’t do anything like that.”
Smith denied “S —- ing” on, nor was he “clapped back” at Bronny James.
LeBron James approached this at the McAfees show.
Los Angeles Lakers Spider LeBron James, #23, smiles after scoring during the first half of a NBA basketball match against Denver Nuggets on Saturday, March 2, 2024 in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
“And another (thing). He completely missed the whole point, the whole point. Never in my … Never would I ever not allow people to talk about the sport, criticize players about what they are doing on the field. It’s your job – criticizing or being in a position where, ok, a guy who doesn’t perform … It’s all part of the game. When you take it, and when you get it, it’s my job to not protect my job to but to protect the players. ”
