We have a visual of something that probably never happened before. LeBron James released his anger on Stephen A. Smith. No, it’s not an online heated exchange. It was straight up in person. The Lakers superstar lashed out at the veteran analyst amid the intense NY Knicks game. So, the overtime thriller wasn’t the only interesting stuff on the court last night. Moreover, the specialist decoders brought in a Bronny James angle to the situation.
If you ask me, I saw this coming from a mile.
All these years, the ESPN reporter went after the 4x NBA Champ, criticizing him on various fronts. Starting from the GOAT debate to questioning Bron’s ability in clutch. Mind you, SAS had recently settled on the GOAT debate, calling James the GOAT of longevity. Nevertheless, it was too late. Now, we might know where the superstar draws the line. And, it’s his son, Bronny James, as the specialist decoders suggest.
Following the thrilling 121-119 overtime win over the Knicks, a video surfaced, and it shook the NBA world. In the video, LeBron James can be seen snapping at Stephen A. Smith as he listened to it unmoved. Just so you know, Bron walked off pissed without waiting to hear Smith reply. While we wonder what Bron could have said to the 57-year-old, the lip readers did their best. An X post suggested that Bron said, “I don’t care, bro, keep my son out of this shit, bro.“
“I don’t care bro, keep my son out of this shit bro”
LEBRON JAMES JUST FLAMED STEPHEN A SMITH #LakeShow pic.twitter.com/69NR84i1zl
— FADE (@FadeAwayMedia) March 7, 2025
Before you scratch your head in confusion, wondering where Bronny James’ angle came in. We have something for you. Smith had criticized the 20-year-old several times this season. However, a particular incident from a month ago has ruffled King James’ feathers, suggested Nick Wright.
Bronny is where LeBron James draws the line
Looks like the confrontation had begun a month ago. At the end of January, the Lakers suffered a blowout 104-118 loss against the Sixers. Apart from Bron’s 31-point outing, everyone struggled. Bronny James, who came in to run the clock out during the garbage minutes, had an embarrassing stat line, finishing with 0 points with 0-5 from the field.
It was enough for Stephen A. Smith to criticize the young lad. Following the game, the veteran went by his usual business, thrashing Bronny. A few days later, Smith dropped a video on his YouTube channel under the title ‘Bronny James is NOT READY. STOP forcing it’. It was the first instance Smith revealed that he was confronted.
In the video, he said, “A couple of people texted me and pissed me — and they know who they are… People close to LeBron James talking to me about questioning him as a father. C’mon, y’all. I mean, it’s got to a point where this LeBron sensitivity is just beyond the pale.“ He further went on to rant a bit more about the duo, saying, “LeBron has forgotten more basketball than most people would know. So, no matter what we think about Bronny — he knows more. But you see what you see.”
While we thought that the controversy would end then and there. It popped up again when Bron confronted Smith in person. Nick Wright, a seasoned NBA analyst, decoded why Bron was angry. It was because the video had highlights of Bronny struggling against the Sixers in the background. Well, that’s a way to add fuel to the fire.
Do you think Stephen A. Smith will end the controversy at the Crypto.com Arena? No, I don’t think so. He would be rushing back to his studio with a full-blown rant. What do you think? Let us know in the comments.
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