There is a kind of explosiveness in Stephen A. Smith’s voice and opinion. In most situations, they don’t sit well with the NBA fans. Especially because, at times, the veteran tends to turn a bit too harsh on the players. And if the person in conversation is LeBron James, then everything escalates to a different level. But now that the New Orleans Pelicans have sidelined Zion Williamson due to injuries, Smith had a lot to talk about.
This is the fourth time in six seasons that Williamson will be ending the season having played 30 or fewer games. Stephen A. Smith called this “awful” and sympathized with the fans. “Zion Williamson is a star-caliber talent when he is on the court and healthy. He’s a monster. The problem is he’s rarely available, and as great as he is, the word “bust” comes to mind. Not because of his talent—I’m only talking about his availability,” Smith strongly said.
Zion Williamson‘s latest low back bone contusion indeed throws questions about his comeback this season. Earlier, a hamstring injury, illness, and suspension had already limited his time on the court. With just 30 games played, setbacks defined his turbulent time. But the Pelicans won’t listen to SAS’s comments. Instead of clapping back with words, their social media team dropped a familiar highlight reel of Smith. The same clip, posted multiple times before, did all the talking. Now, it’s up for a Webby Award.
Good day to announce that our Stephen A. Smith highlight video has been nominated for best sports social video in the @TheWebbyAwards
Vote for it here: https://t.co/CFrzcdGODU
pic.twitter.com/1hBtJThJdx https://t.co/CUTVaSJPw2
— New Orleans Pelicans (@PelicansNBA) April 1, 2025
Meanwhile, someone on social media got too creative with the ongoing controversy between Stephen A. Smith and LeBron James. Well, kudos to video editor Shady2k for bringing a tinge of humor to this drama!
Stephen A. Smith vs. LeBron James takes a hilarious new turn with a $37 billion company
LeBron James had been silent for a long time until he couldn’t. And one fine day, he confronted Stephen A. Smith after a Lakers game and asked him to stop whatever he was doing. Simply put, SAS’s ‘plea’ to Bron to stop the limelight and humiliation he’s putting Bronny James backfired. Well, this was the beginning of a series of back-and-forth that isn’t (unrequited) passive anymore. The Lakers superstar also addressed the matter on Pat McAfee’s show, which then led Stephen A. to go all-out with a 15-minute rant.
In that angry rant session, Smith shared misinformation like LeBron missing Kobe Bryant’s memorial at Staples Center in 2020. He also questioned the 40-year-old’s camaraderie with Dwyane Wade. Now, as the fumes of this beef continue to heat the NBA, the video editor created something outrageously hilarious. So, using Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. (TTWO), the parent company of 2K, whose market cap is $37 billion as of April 1, to make an edit of LeBron James and Stephen A. Smith in a WWE arena. In complete fighter’s mode, both animated figures entered the brawl, and it looks like the Akron Hammer won the matchup! Meanwhile, fans couldn’t help but comment: “This is priceless.”
Someone made LeBron and Stephen A. Smith fight in a video game (via @Shady00018) pic.twitter.com/Mxs42XXGw8
— Overtime (@overtime) April 1, 2025
From Zion’s struggles to Stephen A. Smith’s fiery takes, the drama is relentless. The Pelicans trolled with highlights, while LeBron’s feud with SAS turned into a full-blown WWE spectacle. A $37 billion company unknowingly fueled the madness, and fans can’t get enough.
The post Pelicans Fire Back at Stephen A. Smith Over Zion Williamson Remark As LeBron James Drama Escalates With $37B Company appeared first on EssentiallySports.