Stephen A's Take: Isiah Thomas rips LeBron James for warming up shirtless. - The Stephen A. Smith Show

Summary

The Stephen A. Smith Show: Episode Summary

Episode Title: Stephen A's Take: Isiah Thomas rips LeBron James for warming up shirtless
Release Date: April 15, 2025
Host: Stephen A. Smith
Platform: iHeartPodcasts

1. Introduction to the Controversy

In this episode of The Stephen A. Smith Show, host Stephen A. Smith delves into a heated discussion that emerged over the weekend within the NBA community. The focus centers on a recent comment made by Hall of Famer Isaiah Thomas, who publicly criticized LeBron James for his choice to warm up shirtless before a game. This critique has ignited conversations about professionalism and standards within the league.

2. Isaiah Thomas's Critique of LeBron James

Stephen A. Smith begins by highlighting Isaiah Thomas's strong words regarding LeBron James's pre-game attire:

Isaiah Thomas: "I just totally, 100% object to this. If I was the GM or coach, I would never let one of my players walk out on the floor looking like this. The professionalism in our NBA league has diminished so much. I like LeBron, but to walk out on the floor before a game with no shirt on and shoot? I mean, come on man, where we at? What we doing? Adam Silva, if you want to find somebody, find that. Put a fine on that."
[00:32]

These remarks aim to address what Thomas perceives as a decline in the professional standards expected of NBA players, using LeBron James as a focal point for his concerns.

3. Stephen A. Smith’s Defense of LeBron James

Responding to Thomas's critique, Stephen A. Smith offers a nuanced defense of LeBron James's professionalism:

"LeBron James is not the greatest example to use because 99% of the time the brother epitomizes professionalism. LeBron James is usually dressed up. LeBron James carries the mantle and conducts himself with the proper level of decorum and professionalism. Media interviews, post games, availability, stuff like that. LeBron James shows up big events representing the NBA brand."
[00:32]

Smith emphasizes LeBron's consistent professionalism off the court, suggesting that a single instance during warm-ups should not overshadow his overall conduct and contribution to the league's image.

4. Contextualizing Isaiah Thomas's Perspective

Stephen A. Smith provides background on Isaiah Thomas's role and influence within the NBA to contextualize his criticism:

"Isaiah Thomas was also the president of the players association for years, right? ... one of the biggest people who spearheaded that movement was Isaiah Thomas, who brought it up and made it an issue during collective bargaining negotiations in the 80s."
[00:32]

By highlighting Thomas's leadership and advocacy for professionalism, Smith underscores the weight and significance of his opinions within the basketball community.

5. Historical Perspective on NBA Professionalism

Delving into the history of the NBA, Smith contrasts past and present standards of professionalism:

"Long before David Stern, in the aftermath of the brawl at the palace in Auburn Hills in 2004 or so implemented a dress code, long before that, it was Isaiah Thomas who was a leader amongst many."
[00:32]

He reminisces about the attire and behavior of legendary figures like Pat Riley and Chuck Daly, illustrating a bygone era where professionalism was visibly embodied through dress and demeanor.

6. The Importance of Maintaining Professional Standards Today

Stephen A. Smith addresses the broader implications of professionalism in the NBA:

"There’s a level of professionalism that came associated with the sport. ... He's talking about professionalism and a standard that has been ignored."
[00:32]

Smith stresses that maintaining high standards is crucial not only for individual reputations but also for the league's overall image and integrity.

7. Personal Reflections and Final Thoughts

Concluding his discussion, Smith shares personal insights and reiterates the importance of professionalism:

"I might say it with a smile on my face half jokingly, but I'm also serious. ... Professionalism matters."
[00:32]

He emphasizes that while LeBron James is generally a paragon of professionalism, accountability for all players remains essential to uphold the league's standards.

8. Conclusion

This episode of The Stephen A. Smith Show offers a comprehensive examination of Isaiah Thomas's critique of LeBron James, juxtaposed with an in-depth defense of LeBron's overall professionalism. Smith not only addresses the specific incident but also explores the historical and ongoing importance of maintaining high standards within the NBA. By providing context and balanced perspectives, the show engages listeners in a meaningful dialogue about the evolving nature of professionalism in sports.

Notable Quotes:

Isaiah Thomas on LeBron’s Professionalism:

"If I was the GM or coach, I would never let one of my players walk out on the floor looking like this."
[00:32]
Stephen A. Smith Defending LeBron:

"LeBron James is usually dressed up. LeBron James carries the mantle and conducts himself with the proper level of decorum and professionalism."
[00:32]
On Historical Professionalism:

"Remember how coaches were dressed. You ain't see coach dress coaches dressed in warm up suits and sneakers. There's a level of professionalism that came associated with the sport."
[00:32]
On the Importance of Standards:

"Professionalism matters. This was a rare moment when we could look at a LeBron and somebody like Isaiah Thomas would ever dream to utter the word unprofessional when it came to him."
[00:32]

This summary encapsulates the key discussions and insights from the episode, providing a clear and detailed overview for those who haven't tuned in. By focusing on the main content and excluding promotional segments, it offers an engaging and informative glimpse into Stephen A. Smith's analysis of the situation between Isaiah Thomas and LeBron James.

Transcript

Greg Rosenthal (0:00)

What's up everyone? It's Greg Rosenthal and I'm teaming up with the King of Spring, Daniel Jeremiah. He requires me to say that we're going to be bringing you 40s and free agents, the only podcast you'll need this NFL draft season. From DJs, mock drafts to my top 101, free agents will have it covered for you with all new episodes every Thursday keeping you up to date as we head to the NFL Draft. Listen to 40s and free agents on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast.

Stephen A. Smith (0:32)

Let's stay in the NBA for a quick topic that raised a few eyebrows this weekend. That's because hall of Famer Isaiah Thomas called out the one and only LeBron James himself for being, quote, unprofessional. End quote. For wearing no shirt during early shoot around on Friday. This is what Isaiah Thomas had to say about LeBron while NBA TV rolled the warm up video. Y'all gotta see this. Take a look at this. I just totally, 100% object to this. If I was the GM or coach, I would never let one of my players walk out on the floor looking like this. The professionalism in our NBA league has diminished so much. I like LeBron, but to walk out on the floor before a game with no shirt on and shoot? I mean, come on man, where we at? What we doing? Adam Silva, if you want to find somebody, find that. Put a fine on that. End quote. Isaiah Thomas is 100% right. It's just a bad example to use because you see, contrary to what some of you trolls out there want to instigate and fabricate and start up, when it's talking about Stephen a. Smith and LeBron, I told y'all I'm gonna always be fair. I'm going to do my job. Regardless of how we feel about each other, I'm going to do my job. LeBron James is not the greatest example to use because 99% of the time the brother epitomizes professionalism. LeBron James is usually dressed up. LeBron James carries the mantle and conducts himself with the proper level of decorum and professionalism. Media interviews, post games, availability, stuff like that. LeBron James shows up big events representing the NBA brand. It's LeBron James you lean on, so to mention a word. Unprofessionalism and him with a broad brush would be incredibly unfair. But if you're isolating an incident which Isaiah Thomas did, then it's more than fair. And the reason why it's more than fair is because you're thinking about what's going on in the moment. You're a man out there with no uniform, no T shirt on. In a professional environment. You're. You're not in a closed door practice, you're out at the arena where fans have already been allowed to enter the arena. It is a professional environment, but most importantly, it's about who this critique is coming from. Y'all do understand that that champion that is Isaiah Thomas was also the president of the players association for years, right? Did y'all know that when it came to diversity in the sport covering the NBA that one of the biggest people who spearheaded that movement was Isaiah Thomas, who brought it up and made it an issue during collective bargaining negotiations in the 80s. Did you know that? Because he did it. So people like me and Michael Wilbon and various others who have been blessed and fortunate enough to cover the NBA for years, including women, by the way, Isaiah Thomas was one of the people who spearheaded that movement. And when they talk about the level of professionalism, long before David Stern, in the aftermath of the brawl at the palace in Auburn Hills in 2004 or so implemented a dress code, long before that, it was Isaiah Thomas who was a leader amongst many. The Michael Jordans of the world, the Alonzo mourners of the world, the Shaq Diesel. Go back and look at the footage. Did you see how they came to a game? Did you see how they were dressed? Do y'all know who the most popular coaches were at that time? Pat Riley. Remember how he dressed? Chuck Daly. Daddy Rich, as my man John Sally would call him. Remember how he dressed? Everybody would would bow to the altar of Chuck Daly, God rest his soul. Larry Brown helped upgrade my wardrobe. I'll tell y'all that story one day, if I haven't already. Remember how coaches were dressed. You ain't see coach dress coaches dressed in warm up suits and sneakers. There's a level of professionalism that came associated with the sport. And Isaiah Thomas didn't escape mentioning that as well. When somebody like whether it was Jalen Rose or whoever else was on the set with him, when they said, yo, what about the coaches? Isaiah said them too. So he's talking about professionalism and a standard that has been ignored. Now, in terms of the media, I think it's safe to say that if anybody had the right to speak on this issue, it would be me. In case y'all didn't notice, your brother dresses quite nicely. Matter of fact, I gotta talk to my damn nephew Josh and how he get he been dressing. He gotta upgrade his wardrobe because there's a standard that comes across associated with your boy. Stephen A. You don't believe me Ass first take. It ain't no accident. I might say it with a smile on my face half jokingly, but I'm also serious. Oh, you gonna dress on first take. You ain't gonna just show up dressed any old kind of way. He ain't going down like that. Professionalism matters. This was a rare moment when we could look at a LeBron and somebody like Isaiah Thomas would ever dream to utter the word unprofessional when it came to him. But it doesn't mean that particular critique wasn't appropriate for that one time. It's worth mentioning, plain and simple.