LeBron James might be the greatest basketball player of all time (don’t @ us), but one thing he does not play about is his kids!
Source: MediaNews Group/Pasadena Star-News via Getty Images / Getty
Ever since the Los Angeles Lakers legend’s son, Bronny James, joined the NBA, he’s been faced with some over-the-top criticism from sports media around the world. The 20-year-old might ride the bench for the Lakers, but he’s put up some seriously impressive stats in the G-League, and regardless of his actual basketball ability, the media continues to be relentless about every move he makes.
One personality who consistently criticizes Bronny is Stephen A. Smith, who is known for purposefully rocking the boat for engagement. At the Lakers game on Thursday, March 6–during which the L.A. team beat the New York Knicks in overtime–video captured by fans showed James confronting Smith on the court. LeBron looks visibly upset in the clip, shaking his head back and forth disapprovingly at Stephen A before walking away from the situation.
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Smith opened Friday morning’s episode of ESPN First Take by addressing the now-viral interaction, describing the confrontation as “unexpected.”
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Though he continually insisted that he wasn’t going to talk about the conversation publicly, he did just that, citing the viral video as the reason for him addressing the matter on the show.
“That was LeBron James coming up to me, unexpectedly, I might add, to confront me about making sure I mind what I say about I say about his son,” Smith said. “Can’t repeat the words because they ain’t suited for FCC airwaves, that’s what he was doing. And I thought long and hard about this over the last few hours cause I had no intention on talking about this at all. And the reason was because it was a one-on-one, I wouldn’t say it was a conversation but it was a one-on-one confrontation.”
“But then I wake up and everybody from ESPN, my agent and everybody else sending me that this thing had gone viral, so, ultimately it was unavoidable and that is why I have to discuss it now,” Stephen A. explained. “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 that regard. By all accounts, he’s obviously a wonderful family man and father who cares very, very deeply about his son, and based on some of the comments he had heard or shall I say I think he thought he heard, clearly took exception to some of the things he heard me say, and he confronted me about it.”
Smith went on to stress that James’ team has his contact information in case the father of three is interested in a private conversation, but it seems like LeBron already got exactly what he needed to off his chest.
“That is not what he elected to do. Instead, he elected to confront me while I was sitting courtside,” Smith told viewers of the public conversation. “He walked right up to me, and he said what he had to say, and he feels like I was slighting his son. Now let me tell you what I feel. What I would have said if we were in a different environment, cause I was not going to engage in a confrontation at that particular moment in that setting. But if he had had that conversation, I would have said to LeBron James I never would speak negatively about your son. I was talking about you.”
LeBron’s visible frustration over the media’s coverage of his son should come as no surprise as Stephen A. is far from the only media personality to talk negatively about Bronny on a daily basis. Though some have insisted that the 20-year-old is subject to criticism just like any other sports figure, Bronny averages less than 5 minutes a game, but is talked about more than any other bench player in the league.
Hopefully, LeBron’s confrontation will deter other sportscasters from talking about Bronny incessantly in the future.
The post LeStand On Business: LeBron James Courageously Confronts Stephen A. Smith Over Bronny James Trash Talk appeared first on Bossip.
