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The viral confrontation between LeBron James and Stephen A. Smith seems to have everlasting effects.
After a Los Angeles Lakers game against the New York Knicks back in March, the two had what Smith called an “unexpected” incident in which the NBA’s all-time leading scorer voiced his concerns about Smith’s remarks about his son, Bronny.
Smith had been critical of the Lakers’ use of Bronny and his father’s apparent handling of the situation, but Smith said on Wednesday’s “First Take” that there was a further reason for the courtside interaction.
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Stephen A. Smith, left, and LeBron James. (IMAGN)
“I have nothing to say about that. I don’t like him, and he don’t like me…” he said, via Awful Announcing. “He hid behind his son, tried to make something out of nothing, as if I was dogging his son, which I was not. The real issue was we don’t like each other. And he used that as an excuse to confront me. I got it.”
Smith, though, said he is keeping his personal feelings about James away from his analysis of him.
“He’s one of the greatest players who’s ever lived. I’m going to show him that respect, and I’m going to cover him objectively. When he does great, I’m gonna applaud. When he doesn’t do great, I’m not gonna applaud.”
LeBron James, #23, and Bronny James, #9 of the Los Angeles Lakers, on defense during the second quarter against the Minnesota Timberwolves at Crypto.com Arena on Oct. 22, 2024 in Los Angeles. (Harry How/Getty Images)
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At the time of the incident, Smith suggested the interaction had been between a pair of fathers, more than an exchange between a basketball player and a sports television star.
Smith also said that he would be open to having further discussions with James privately, saying the Lakers star “knows how to get in contact with (him) if he wanted to.”
LeBron James, #23, and Bronny James, #9 of the Los Angeles Lakers, on the court for the first time during the game against the Minnesota Timberwolves at Crypto.com Arena on Oct. 22, 2024 in Los Angeles. (Allen Berezovsky/Getty Images)
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Smith added that if a one-on-one discussion had happened with James, the sports commentator would have told the four-time NBA MVP that he would “never speak negatively” about Bronny, who split time in the NBA and G-League throughout the 2024-25 season.
Fox News’ Chantz Martin contributed to this report.
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