During Thursday night’s matchup between the Lakers and the Knicks, LeBron James had a tense courtside exchange with ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith, leaving fans speculating about the reason behind the confrontation.
In a viral clip, LeBron appeared to speak intensely to Smith before abruptly walking away. The brief interaction sparked widespread curiosity, prompting Stephen A. to address the situation on Friday’s edition of "First Take."
Smith began by clarifying that he doesn’t fault LeBron for defending his son against criticism. He then explained the intent behind his comments about Bronny James.
"When I said the things that I said, I wasn’t talking about Bronny James," Smith stated. "My attitude is, he’s a rookie, he’s going to take some time to get himself together—he’ll be just fine, especially with JJ Redick on the staff coaching him. I was talking about the position he was put in by his dad."
Smith admitted that LeBron’s reaction made him reflect on his words.
"To be in that moment, to have LeBron look at me the way he did—as a father of two daughters, knowing how much love fathers have for their children—I understood where he was coming from. He was very upset. I could tell," Smith said.
Despite the confrontation, Smith made it clear that he holds no hard feelings toward LeBron.
"I’m not offended. I’m not insulted. I don’t have any animosity towards LeBron James. If I were in his position, I can’t definitively say I wouldn’t have done the same thing. I get it. I understand it."
Source: YouTube
