Stephen A's Take: I have more to say on Lebron confronting me about Bronny comments! - The Stephen A. Smith Show

The Stephen A. Smith Show: Detailed Summary

Episode: Stephen A's Take: I have more to say on LeBron confronting me about Bronny comments!
Release Date: March 9, 2025
Host: Stephen A. Smith
Platform: iHeartPodcasts

1. Introduction to the Viral Confrontation (00:49 - 05:30)

Stephen A. Smith opens the episode by addressing a recent viral incident involving himself and LeBron James. While attending a Knicks vs. Lakers game courtside, Smith was confronted by LeBron during a timeout in the third quarter. He clarifies rumors about the nature of the confrontation, firmly denying any insults or derogatory language.

“He was fiery. He approached me during the game and he said, stop effing with my son. That's my effing son. Stop effing with my son.”
— Stephen A. Smith [01:20]

Smith emphasizes that LeBron’s intentions were rooted in his role as a protective father rather than as an athlete.

2. Clarifying Misconceptions and False Reports (05:31 - 10:45)

Addressing circulating misinformation, Smith debunks claims that LeBron insulted him verbally during the encounter. He explains that the confrontation was a direct response to comments he made about Bronny James, LeBron’s son, particularly regarding Bronny's performance and readiness for the NBA.

“People was talking about LeBron called me out, my name or somebody I saw. Somebody said he called me a bitch. Somebody said he called me a punk. And all this, none of that is true.”
— Stephen A. Smith [02:10]

Smith recounts how LeBron’s anger stemmed from Smith’s analysis of Bronny’s struggles, which LeBron took personally as a father defending his son.

3. The Context Behind the Comments on Bronny James (10:46 - 15:50)

Smith delves into the specifics of his commentary on Bronny James. He had previously critiqued Bronny’s performance, suggesting that he wasn’t ready for the NBA and needed more development time, possibly in the G League.

“When Bronnie James was struggling and I threw out some stats and stuff like that, and I said, he's not ready.”
— Stephen A. Smith [05:00]

He explains that his intention was to spotlight the pressures Bronny faces as the son of one of basketball’s greatest players, rather than to undermine Bronny’s potential.

4. The Aftermath and Professional Repercussions (15:51 - 20:30)

Smith discusses the professional fallout from his comments, noting that some players, including Draymond Green, have distanced themselves from him due to his remarks. He expresses disappointment over the lack of direct communication from those upset with his analysis.

“...the blindsidedness of it all is what throws me off. Because, you see, if I got a problem with somebody, you call me.”
— Stephen A. Smith [18:15]

He reflects on his reputation as a journalist who values direct confrontation and resolution, contrasting it with the unexpectedness of LeBron’s public confrontation.

5. Addressing Public and Media Reactions (20:31 - 25:00)

Smith acknowledges the immense public attention the incident garnered, noting that a tweet about the confrontation went viral with over 15 million views. He discusses the pressure from ESPN, his employer, to address the situation publicly.

“ESPN called me this morning, said, what you mean you ain't talking about it? You most certainly have to talk about it.”
— Stephen A. Smith [21:45]

He criticizes Kevin Love’s tweet dismissing his choice to discuss the matter, emphasizing the seriousness of the situation and his responsibility to engage with it due to its widespread impact.

6. Defending His Position and Intentions (25:01 - 28:00)

Smith defends his original comments by clarifying that his critiques were aimed at LeBron James and the systemic pressures within the NBA, not at Bronny personally. He reiterates his belief in Bronny’s potential and success in the league.

“My issue was with what he is going through, nobody best knows how to alleviate the problem at the time, and nobody had the power at the time as well to alleviate it more so than LeBron James.”
— Stephen A. Smith [27:30]

He concludes by expressing regret over the confrontation occurring publicly and emphasizes the importance of professional critique without personal vendettas.

7. Reflections on Journalism and Personal Integrity (28:01 - End)

In the final segment, Smith reflects on his role as a journalist and commentator. He distinguishes his work from typical sports shows, highlighting his commitment to objective analysis over personal relationships.

“I don't get paid to talk to folks. I get paid to talk about them.”
— Stephen A. Smith [28:10]

Smith reaffirms his dedication to covering the NBA authentically, despite the personal and professional challenges that arise from his candid commentary.

Notable Quotes with Attribution

Addressing the Confrontation:

“Stop effing with my son. That's my effing son. Stop effing with my son.”
— Stephen A. Smith [01:20]
Clarifying Misconceptions:

“He was fiery. He approached me during the game...”
— Stephen A. Smith [01:15]
On Professional Relationships:

“If I have a conversation with you, it's between us. That's the way it's going down.”
— Stephen A. Smith [23:50]
Defending Journalistic Integrity:

“I don't betray trust. I don't do that.”
— Stephen A. Smith [25:30]

Conclusion

In this episode, Stephen A. Smith provides an in-depth account of his public confrontation with LeBron James, stemming from his critical analysis of Bronny James’s performance. Smith meticulously addresses the incident’s context, his intentions behind the comments, and the subsequent professional and personal repercussions. He underscores his commitment to journalistic integrity and objective commentary, while expressing empathy for LeBron’s perspective as a protective father. The episode offers listeners a transparent look into the complexities of sports commentary and the fine line commentators walk when balancing professional critique with personal relationships.

Transcript

A (0:01)

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B (0:15)

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A (0:49)

Now let's get to a subject that's apparently gone viral on social media today, and it also involves yours truly. Last night I was in attendance at the Knicks Lakers game or sitting courtside, where during a timeout, I believe it was in the third quarter, I was confronted by none other than LeBron James himself. LeBron has some choice words for me in regards to comments I've made prior about him in regards to his son, Bronnie James. Before I get any further, let me just put to bed a couple of things that have been reported that are false. People was talking about LeBron called me out, my name or somebody I saw. Somebody said he called me a bitch. Somebody said he called me a punk. And all this, none of that is true. He was fiery. He approached me during the game and he said, stop effing with my son. That's my effing son. Stop effing with my son. I said, what? Nah, nah, nah, man. Straight up, man to man, real talk, stop effing with my son. And I saw how furious he was and I said, we talk about like, nah, F that, F that. Stop effing with my son. That's my son. That's my son. I said, all right, Dub, fine. And he walked away. That's all he said. I knew what he was talking about. I've spoken about this before. Matter of fact, I heard that not many, not all, but a few players were upset at me about that. I think one player in particular was Draymond Green, who I haven't spoken to since and has no desire to speak to me. Primarily because of this, I suppose. And I found out the way that I found out, which was last night while I was at the game, I was a guest of Ari Emanuel Owner of William Morris. Endeavor founder. William Morris Endeavor. Rather. Founder of Endeavor. I'm sorry. Before they merged with William Morris. And I was a guest of his, sitting at the game with him and Larry David from Curb youb Enthusiasm. I was sitting courtside, and the next thing you know, out of the blue, LeBron came in my face. Obviously, since he brought up his son, he was piggybacking off of what I had said weeks ago. And what I had said weeks ago is that when Bronnie James was struggling and I threw out some stats and stuff like that, and I said, he's not ready. And then I came on this podcast and I reiterated that point. Clearly, it was something that was on LeBron James mind that he was aching to confront me about. And so it happened the way that it happened. Now, before I get into anything else, let me say that LeBron's agent, who is Rich Paul, his boy, has my number. Maverick Carter, who's universally respected and is a big player in the industry these days, he has my number. It's very easy for LeBron James to have called me. It's very easy for one of them to have called me in to say, lebron wants to see. He wants to talk to you face to face, man to man. That's not what happened last night at the Lakers game happened. Now I get. And people have said to me today that I'm looking pretty damn sad. I'll fess up. I am. Because something like that is not something that should make any of us comfortable. I didn't anticipate it. I don't know why I didn't anticipate it. But I'm not here to blame LeBron James. That wasn't a basketball player talking to me last night. That was a dad. He rolled up on me as a father. That's what he did. That was not a basketball player talking to me. We talk about LeBron James all the time. Practically everybody does. That's not what LeBron James does. So for him to confront me, obviously it was something that he was incredibly passionate about, put off about, and felt necessary to confront me about. And what better motivation could there be than to be protective of his son? I understand it. I respect it. As a parent, I'm a father, two daughters, and in all honesty, I couldn't definitively tell you that if I were LeBron James, I would not have done the same thing. I would hope that I would not have. I would hope that I would have picked up the phone and called the person instead or got arranged to see that person face to face instead, rather than walking up to me in the middle of a game courtside. That was not the end of the game. That was not the beginning game. That was in the middle of the game that this happened. But that's what happened, and there's really not much you can do about it. I have a lot to say about it, but I wanted to address a couple of things. Number one, because I saw this tweet from Kevin Love. He was responding to my tweet. My tweet was, I had no intentions of talking about it. And the reason I had no intentions of talking about it is because that's what men do. You handle it privately, if you can. I didn't want to address it as I tweeted here. I wouldn't have either had it not gone viral. But it did go viral, because when I got up, my social media person informed me that it was over 15 million views and it had gone viral. It was number one. It was the number one sports story going. And regardless of everybody wanting to walk around acting like they don't have bosses, I don't deny the fact that I have bosses. I work for espn, and ESPN called me this morning, said, what you mean you ain't talking about it? You most certainly have to talk about it. This directly involves you, and LeBron James is the biggest story in the country right now in sports. There's no way for you to escape it, talk about it. You got your platform. Do what you got to do. I said, fine. Well, when I tweeted out to let everybody know that I will be talking about it, Kevin Love, LeBron's former teammate in Cleveland, throws out this tweet. You have no choice. Laugh out loud because it went viral. Laughs out loud. You didn't want to have to laugh out loud. You wouldn't have. You wouldn't have laugh out loud. Hold that tweet up. Let's go over the list. And I like Kevin Love. I'm very fond of him. All right? I have nothing negative to say. I have no choice. Because of what I just told you about my bosses. Kevin. Because it went viral, Kevin. Which I just explained I didn't want to. Why would I want to? I take no pleasure in something like this. And I guess it's the implication that. And I wouldn't have you laugh out loud on all of those things. You see, stuff like that dilutes the seriousness of the discussion. So let me explain this to Kevin Love in simplest terms. First take has been the number one morning show for 13 consecutive years. And on this particular morning, it's the day after I was in the news for a lucrative contract extension. So if I said that I didn't have any intentions of doing it, I don't have to lie, and I'm not starving for ratings. And respectfully, Kevin, you should know that I mean what I say. I don't have to lie. So I'll just leave it at that. Outside of that, feel free to support your boy. Let me go back to me and LeBron James, ladies and gentlemen, Any alluding to Bronny James in this is either accidental or just a reference point to articulate me and LeBron James, because I'm not here to talk about Bronny James. Bronny James, by all account, is a wonderful kid who went into the G League, has been tearing it up, and I personally think is going to be an NBA player. You can't root against Bronnie James. He's a great kid. I've never met anybody that said otherwise, okay? And I'm genuinely rooting for him. Having said that, at the time that I was talking about him and his stats in the aftermath of the Philly game, that's when things have gone haywire. Because that's when you start hearing that a few players don't want to talk to you or folks felt you crossed the line or whatever. Here's what they thought I did that crossed the line by pointing out how he was struggling. I wasn't really talking about Bronnie James that much. He's a rookie, and I think that he'll just get better and better and be in the NBA. It wasn't really about him. It was about LeBron. And the reason why it was about LeBron was because the heat that Bronnie was taking and the stories that were going viral, I was making the point he didn't have to be in this predicament. Three things could have happened. He could have got drafted by Golden State, he could have got drafted by the Boston Celtics, or he could have got drafted like he did by the Lakers. Open night, opening night, have that moment with his dad and then go to the G League and wreak havoc, wreck shop, and then come to the league after years experience in the G League. If any of those things did not happen, one surmised that it was because of LeBron James. In my mind, the second greatest player to have ever played the game of basketball, who was a basketball savant. And if we know that his son was struggling, then he knows. And what I was Saying was, I was focused on him. It was other people that was focused on Bronny James. Show that Magic Johnson quote, please. This Magic Johnson at the time. Jimmy Kimmel live in September. If I'm Bronnie, I would tell my dad, just let me play in the G League all season so that I can develop. He needs playing time. He doesn't need to be sitting on the Laker bench and not playing. That's not. Not a knock against him. He's just not ready. That was Irving, Magic Johnson. There were other articles that were written as the season was progressing and people were talking, and I'm rooting for the kid, and I didn't want anything too negative to come his way. So I'm looking at LeBron James and saying, all right, you had the moment. You don't need this. Because you remember it's not just LeBron's greatness that we're talking about that can be somewhat burdensome. Because when you're a son of arguably the greatest player who has ever lived, in a lot of people's eyes, the expectations for you come with that. But it wasn't even just that. It was the quotes that was associated with LeBron James. It was LeBron James that said his son was better than some NBA players. It was LeBron James that told folks, don't even think about, you want to draft? He said, you want to. You want me draft my son? It ain't even about the money at this point. I'll go wherever he is for one year. It was LeBron that said those things. And so everybody knew that. And as a result, what I was saying was pointing out, yo, this is what it is. And any kind of trouble he has, they're going to pounce on him because of the things his dad said. So the one thing that I'm thankful for last night is that when I was confronted by LeBron James about this subject matter, he didn't give me an opportunity to say what I know that I would have said. And that was this. I wasn't talking really about your son. I was talking about you. Because, you know, the league, you know people, you know, narratives ain't always created by the media, is created by people the media covers. So you must know what this. What they were saying at the time. Nobody's been talking about Bronnie now, not for months. But at the time, they were. You must know. And I was saying that's you because of all the things that you did to make things happen in a way that deviated from a Relatively merit based situation, which is the national basketball association. You're LeBron James. You are underpaid. You are LeBron James. You deserve more money than you're getting paid. You're LeBron James. I don't give a damn how much money they paid. Bronnie, he could get it. He should get it for you, because, damn it, you should have gotten more because of what you've done for this league. You deserve all of this, but it's not going to stop him from getting that heat. And when LeBron came at me the way that he did, if it wasn't on camera, if he didn't instigate something that people are allowed to take viral, if he had spoken to me, man to man, privately, I still wouldn't have talked about it. I don't violate that trust. I don't have private conversations and then they go public. I don't have people talk to me off the record. And then I come on there on the record. Y'all can talk all of that smack, all y'all want to, whatever y'all naysay, whoever y'all naysayers are. But I got 30 years in this business. My track record has proven I don't betray trust. I don't do that. If I have a conversation with you, it's between us. That's the way it's going down. And if LeBron had done that, y'all still wouldn't know about this conversation, which obviously has people speculating because of the savant that he is and how brilliant of a marketer he is. Some would say a manipulator and all this other stuff. They swear he knew exactly what he was doing. He knew the cameras were rolling. He knew that somebody would find him. It was a nationally televised game. It's LeBron James and he's rolling up to Stephen A. Smith courtside. He had to know that's what others are thinking. I'm not thinking about that. I'm thinking about the fact that I'm incredibly sad that it had to happen. I'm incredibly sad that a father was looking in my face vehemently, and defiantly, hostilely telling me to stop effing with his son when I was talking about him. That makes me sad. It really does. But let me tell you why I'm most sad. Because I wasn't wrong. I stand by what I reported. I stand by what I said at that time. What I expressed months ago is what I felt. Which leads us to a far more expansive conversation, albeit a short one. Ladies and gentlemen, I'm a professional journalist turned commentator, pundit. There's a whole bunch of people with podcasts and shows out there who talk about the NBA. I covered the NBA. There's a difference and a position that I'm in. I don't get paid to talk to folks. I get paid to talk about them. I don't want any enemies. My life is good. God has blessed me. I've been very blessed and fortunate. But I'm not here to make friends either. I have a job to do. See, the difference between this show and typical shows is that people do those shows hoping to get paid. I get paid to do those shows is different for me because there's years of work in the industry that preceded it. I've got people calling me LeBron. Shouldn't have came up to you like that. Nah, that's wrong. That's very unprofessional. No, he knows better. This is what. Forget all that. He did what he felt he needed to do for himself and his family. I have to respect that. It just doesn't make him right about the facts. The fact is, LeBron James is a professional basketball player. So is his son. LeBron James is a member of the Los Angeles Lakers. So is his son. LeBron James has to get critiqued at the discretion of the media covering him play basketball. So does his son. He's a professional. This is not a conversation about family matters. This is not a conversation about what's going on in somebody's bedroom or somebody's backyard. This is not a conversation about what's going on secretly. This was me talking about the game of basketball. Under no circumstances do I want to throw any negativity in the way of LeBron James family and friends. I know a lot of them. All wonderful. And I sincerely apologize for any kind of pain or angst I caused them. Not LeBron. LeBron is a part of the job, and by virtue of the decisions that he made, so are his teammates, one of them happening to be his son. Now, I understand that that rubs a lot of people the wrong way. Okay. When I think about somebody like Draymond Green, and I've kept my mouth shut about this for a while, but without getting into too many details, Draymond Green has felt the need to go to other people to say how he's felt about how he feels about me, and I got mad love for Draymond. Draymond is a good brother that, quite frankly, I've always tried to be good, too. And this shift in his feelings about me, Iris I got it. But I'm gonna get to a bigger level. You see, one of the reasons that I had so many great relationships in the world of sports over the years is because if cats had a problem, they caught me. Silly me. I'm thinking that if you get along with people and you talk with them, if they have an issue with you, at least they'd call you and confront you man to man, before something's resolved. I'm talking about Draymond here. I'm not talking about LeBron. The reason I'm not talking about LeBron is because, excuse my language, LeBron and I don't really fuck with each other. It's primarily been high and by for more than a decade, and I'm fine with it. And so is she, and so is he, okay? But that wasn't the relationship with me and Draymond. That wasn't the relationship with me and quite a few cats. And one of the biggest reasons that I loved the kind of relationship that we had is because I always got the impression, yo, if they got an issue with you, they'll call you. You talk it out as men, and if you disagree, you part ways. Even if you part ways not speaking one another, or you can be agreeable or you can agree to disagree. It could be a boatload of things, but the blindsidedness of it all is what throws me off. Because, you see, if I got a problem with somebody, I'm not hard to find, you call me. I'm gonna pick up the phone, you want to come, you want to see me? I'm a rap to you. And we can hash it out and we'll reach a resolution, or we don't. That's not what's happening. And so it is what it is. You know, I'm sorry it had to be that way. I'm sorry the look of it all. But I was sitting courtside minding my damn business, watching my Knicks try to beat the Lakers. I didn't know that the greatest player of this generation was going to walk in my face the way that he did. But that's what happened. So I get it. I understand it, and I want to defend LeBron on this point. That was a dad talking to me. That was not some basketball player that was just pissed off. That was a father. And I'm sensitive to that because I'm a dad. And if I had a son and I felt like somebody had brought negativity to their world, I can't say I wouldn't have reacted the way LeBron James did. I don't think I would have, but I don't know. I don't know. But I want to emphasize I wasn't really concerned about Bronnie. I think Bronnie's gonna be an NBA player. I think he's got potential and what he was doing in the G League. I think he's got a lot of promise. And I just interviewed Jeannie Buss, right, on this podcast, and she was raving about him. And they wanted him to be a part of the Lakers organization for a long time. That's where it starts. I get it. I'm rooting for this kid. I wish him nothing but the best. My issue was with what he is going through, nobody best knows how to alleviate the problem at the time, and nobody had the power at the time as well to alleviate it more so than LeBron James. And I was simply suggesting that he alleviate that problem. I didn't know it would be taken as I'm coming after his son because that is not what I was doing. That is not the intent that I wanted to put out there. So I get it. I'm sorry. I'm also sorry that this all had to happen on the day my new contract extension was announced. But it is what it is. So that's all I can say about that. That's all I have to say about that. LeBron's entitled to his feelings, but I'm also entitled to mine. I cover the sport. I did not get personal. I talk about players every day. I talk about teams every day. I talk about organizations every day. I talk about news items every day. I talk about it all. It's my job, and that's what I did. Geico's motorcycle expertise gives me the coverage I need.