Stephen A. Smith’s heart has indeed changed for LeBron James. Or has it? For a while now, the ESPN veteran has been using words of praise for the Akron Hammer! He also gave Bron the No.1 spot on the Top 3 Robins in the NBA playoffs list. Shocking! However, the 57-year-old finally addressed what everyone had been waiting for.
Do you remember Smith’s plea to Bron about Bronny’s career? Well, one thing led to another, and before the analyst could analyze, he was deep into the father-son matter. This ultimately pushed the Lakers’ star to speak to Stephen A. not as a player, but as a protective father. Now, talking about the incident in a recent interview with Complex, he shared how any misstep from James Sr. could pose a security threat.
What would’ve happened if he swung on LeBron James? Smith said, “The bottom line is this, people can say I get my a– kicked. All right, go ahead. Did you see who I walked in with? He was 10 feet away. So whatever’s going to happen would have had to happen quick. Because that brother right there, that is three hundred and thirty plus, that is my bodyguard. Not to mention a whole bunch of other people that I usually have around me.”
Stephen A. Smith is saying that even if people believe LeBron James could’ve beaten him up, he wasn’t alone. His bodyguard, a 330-pound man, was just ten feet away and would’ve acted quickly. Smith also mentions he usually has more people around for protection. So, if anything had gone down, he felt confident it wouldn’t have ended easily for LeBron either. “I really have very little to be worried about. Anybody can get got. And I’m fully aware of that,” Smith added.
Stephen A. Smith says he wasn’t scared of LeBron James
“Everywhere I go, ESPN knows. Local police, FBI, everything…I’m always guarded because I’m an investment.”
( @Complex )
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) April 24, 2025
Meanwhile, he warned everyone about one more important factor. “Everywhere I go, ESPN knows. Local police, FBI, everything. He’s just with me. But I’m always guarded because I’m an investment,” the veteran analyst commented. “We got people out here that’s got people protecting them, and they’re bringing in a little paper. I make a lot of money for the mouse. So if people want to think that I’m just walking around and I don’t have anybody around me, he’s just like my blood. That’s like my brother right there. I’m always protected. And I like my odds.”
Smith says that some people have protection despite making only a small amount of money. In contrast, he makes a lot of money for Disney (referred to as “the mouse,” since Disney owns ESPN). So it’s unrealistic to think he’d be walking around without security. His main bodyguard is like family to him, and with the protection he has, he feels confident and safe in any situation.
Moreover, SAS is not trying to act tough, but he is not backing down either. If someone like LeBron approached him with bad intentions, he would defend himself without hesitation. He laughs off an old video that people used to mock his fighting skills and says if they believe that is how he throws hands, that is fine. He stays composed but is always ready.
Now at 57, he finds it both funny and sad that people still want to come at him. He is not looking for a fight, just making it clear he will not tolerate disrespect. He knows anyone can get caught, but he is not standing by if someone touches him. Unless it is Mike Tyson. Then he is apologizing fast, probably while falling asleep. Now that looks like the end of a chapter, but there’s another one that LeBron James is avoiding in public.
LeBron James ignores Kevin Gates at Game 2 vs. the Timberwolves after comments on Savannah James
Recently, American rapper Kevin Gates triggered a feud with LeBron James when he said, “I don’t like the way Savannah look at LeBron. I like the way them white women look at LeBron,” in an Instagram video. Meanwhile, James may have fired back in style, turning to Instagram for his response. He posted two romantic photos with his wife, Savannah—one with her glowing at him, the next sealing it with a kiss. Then came the mic-drop caption: “‘Kings don’t concern themselves with the opinions of peasants.’ Where to next, Queen?!?! Let’s get it! .”
Now, in the second game vs. the Minnesota Timberwolves, Kevin Gates was courtside with Brittany Renner. Surprisingly enough, the Akron Hammer ignored the rapper’s presence in public. Was this a way to avoid any public scene? Surely. No more public confrontation? Probably yes.
Did LeBron confront him like he did with Stephen A? #CTESPN https://t.co/LzKhsgXDsG
— AB (@AB84) April 23, 2025
So while Stephen A. Smith settled the score with words, LeBron James let his silence do the talking. One dodged a punch, the other dodged a rapper. From courtside shade to Instagram fire, the drama played out in style.
The post Stephen A. Smith Warns LeBron James Over 330 Lb Security Threat After Lakers Star Avoids Public Confrontation appeared first on EssentiallySports.