Stephen A was verbally attacked by LeBron James in the ‘Madison Square Garden’ ahead of Lakers vs Knicks
LeBron James and Stephen A. Smith’s simmering tensions erupted Thursday night, overshadowing the Lakers’ thrilling 113-109 overtime win against the New York Knicks, their eighth consecutive victory.
Although James powered the Lakers to success with an impressive 31 points, it was his heated courtside confrontation with Smith before the game at Crypto.com Arena that stole the spotlight and generated widespread buzz.
James appeared visibly upset as he confronted Stephen A over previous remarks made about his son, Lakers rookie Bronny James, whose NBA credentials have sparked considerable debate.
Smith had earlier commented on First Take, stating, “We all know that Bronny James is in the NBA because of his dad.” Following the incident, Smith addressed the confrontation directly, emphasizing his dissatisfaction with how LeBron chose to approach him.
Smith Calls blasts LeBron James for public confrontation
The following morning on First Take, Stephen A. Smith addressed his courtside confrontation with LeBron James, acknowledging the Lakers star’s frustration while also criticizing the decision to handle the dispute publicly instead of privately.
“Clearly, he took exception to some of the things I said and confronted me about it,” Smith stated. “But for the record, his agent, Rich Paul, has my number. Maverick Carter has my number. And LeBron himself knows how to reach me.”
“Had he wanted to see me, I would have flown out and had a conversation man-to-man. But that is not what he decided to do,” he added, making it clear that he felt the issue could have been handled differently.
What was it all about
Smith firmly denied accusations that he had spoken negatively about Bronny James, clarifying that his remarks were directed at LeBron, not his son.
“I would never speak negatively about your son. I was talking to you, LeBron James,” Smith emphasized. “The position that Bronny was put in? That was because of his dad. That’s what I was commenting on.”
He reiterated that if James had an issue with his statements, there were better ways to address it.
“If he wanted to have a conversation, he could have been just as upset face-to-face, man-to-man, instead of courtside at a game,” Smith concluded.
