The strained relationship between ESPN analyst Stephen A. Smith and Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James reached a new level of public candor this week. In a Q&A with Rolling Stone’s Danyel Smith, the 57-year-old sports personality acknowledged the tension outright: “I don’t like him, and he don’t like me.”
“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, Smith continues. “When he does great, I’m gonna applaud. When he doesn’t do great, I’m not gonna applaud. 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.”
While the pair’s on-court standoff during a March 6 game between the Lakers and Knicks sparked headlines—when James confronted Smith and told him to “Keep my son out of this s***”—Smith insists the issue runs deeper. “He hid behind his son,” Smith said. “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.”
Los Angeles Lakers’ Stephen A. Smith Opens Up About Longstanding Feud with LeBron James
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In the wake of that viral moment, Smith addressed the incident on First Take, clarifying that James was acting as a protective father—not just a frustrated athlete. “That wasn’t a basketball player confronting me. That was a parent,” Smith said.
LeBron later offered his perspective on The Pat McAfee Show, noting, “Never would I ever not allow people to talk about the sport… But when you take it and you get personal with it, it’s my job to not only protect my damn household but protect the players.” He added, “That’s all part of the game. But there’s a line.”
Smith has previously questioned the Lakers’ use of Bronny James, especially following the team’s decision to draft him at No. 55 overall in 2024. For now, both men seem willing to acknowledge their differences without letting them dominate their public personas—though the rivalry remains as fascinating as ever.