LeBron James and Stephen A. Smith: What’s the beef about?

Lies and confrontation: LeBron’s beef with a basketball pundit
Getty Images Stephen A. Smith, wearing a brown jacket, looking at LeBron James, wearing a grey “Los Lakers” top, in 2022.Getty Images

Pictured in 2022, LeBron James and Stephen A. Smith on happier terms
A courtside showdown, verbal swipes and accusations of lying.

Sports pundits annoying players with comments is nothing new, but the viral beef between Los Angeles Lakers legend LeBron James and basketball analyst Stephen A. Smith has seemingly got a more personal touch.

And the feud has entered another quarter.

After scoring a late winner for the Lakers against the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday, LeBron posted a video of Stephen boxing – complete with a mocking “WHOMP WHOMP” sound effect.

That came after Stephen claimed he “would have immediately swung” had LeBron put his hands on him during a tense confrontation earlier this month.

‘He’s on a Taylor Swift tour run’
It all started after the game between the New York Knicks and LA Lakers on 6 March, when a video went viral which showed LeBron berating Stephen.

At the time, Stephen said it was to do with LeBron defending his son Bronny, following criticism over the amount of game time he was getting and suggestions he was only “in the NBA because of his dad”.

LeBron, 40, is the leading scorer in the NBA’s history and he and Bronny are the competition’s first father-son duo to share the court.

“That wasn’t a basketball player confronting me; that was a parent, and that was a father. And I can’t sit here and be angry,” Stephen said, later adding the hostility left him feeling “sad”.

In a new interview with ESPN this week, LeBron says he has no issues with criticism of a player’s performance but couldn’t tolerate personal attacks.

He adds that Stephen has repeatedly spoken about what happened, like he’s “on a Taylor Swift tour run right now”.

“I didn’t wanna address it. I wasn’t going to address it, but since the video came out, I feel the need to address it,” LeBron said.

Getty Images LeBron James and Bronny James, wearing the yellow Lakers jersey with purple printed “Lakers”, and “23” on LeBron’s shirt and “9” on Bronny’sGetty Images

Bronny James was drafted for his dad’s team
He felt Stephen “missed the whole point” and he would never stop people from criticising players.

“But when you take it and get personal with it, it’s my job to not only protect my damn household but protect the players.”

He adds that Stephen would be “happy as hell” that LeBron’s talking about him, saying “he’s gonna be smiling ear-to-ear”.

‘He is a liar’
Responding to that interview, Stephen claimed that “LeBron James is full of it”.

“And in this particular instance, as it pertains to his son, he is a liar. And he went on national television… and he lied again.”

He adds that during the initial confrontation, he didn’t know LeBron would “roll up on me”.

“But when he said what he had to say, I was in no position to give any kind of retort without making a scene,” he says.

Stephen goes on to claim that if LeBron put his hands on him, he “would have immediately swung on him”, while accepting he’d likely lose any physical confrontation.

Getty Images Stephen A. Smith, wearing a pink suit and black and pink striped tie, with his right hand making a gesture as he speaks.Getty Images

Stephen A. Smith is a renowned basketball analyst
Stephen adds he didn’t think the situation would escalate to the point of violence, but was shocked at how everything had taken place.

“The real point at hand is this: LeBron James continues to lie,” he says.

“He hoodwinked you all into thinking that he was upset about criticism about his son.”

Stephen insists his criticism was always professional and accused LeBron of “a lot of shady stuff”.

“This passive-aggressiveness, and the two-facedness, smile in your face and dig you behind the back… Which is why I don’t like him. And he don’t like me.

“But it doesn’t stop me from being fair and calling it like I see it.

“Because there’s one person in this ordeal that’s telling the truth, and it’s me.”

Stephen has previously praised Bronny’s skills after a strong performance against the Milwaukee Bucks, saying he was “impressed” and “might have been wrong”.

“I’ve always believed that this kid has the potential, once I watched him, to be in the NBA.”