Stephen A. Smith, as expected, has responded at length to LeBron James' mid-celebration trolling after bagging a buzzer-beater win over the Pacers on Wednesday. As you'll likely recall, assuming you're a fervent reader of this writer's every published word, LeBron was quick to commemorate the moment by mocking Smith on Instagram, thus tossing further fuel onto their already-burning feud.
On the latest episode of First Take, Smith reiterated his past remarks about how he views LeBron’s argument, which has centered on claims of having made things “personal” between them in connection with the NBA star’s son and fellow Lakers player, Bronny. Per Smith, his own remarks, which he believes are at the heart of how LeBron has spoken about him in recent days, were “aimed at” LeBron, not Bronny. Smith also took issue with how he sees LeBron’s treatment of media at large, ultimately getting around to Wednesday’s IG posts.
“He puts out some page about me boxing and all of this other stuff from a decade ago with two torn rotator cups,” Smith said, as seen in the video below. “Fine, no problem. It’s a very, very embarrassing video., I’ll be the first to say, even though I like it to be left up there because if people think I wanna throw hands like that, that’s how I throw hands. Knock yourself out. I’m good with it. I know that the man I am today is not the man that I was a decade ago, physically or beyond.”
Smith said he only brought up LeBron’s IG activity to make a point about what he perceives as pettiness, arguing that the move was uncharacteristic for LeBron.
“That’s how petty you’ve become?” he said. “You’re LeBron James. You’re that butthurt over the things that I’m saying that you would post that video? When has LeBron James ever done something like that? But suddenly you’re doing that as it pertains to me. This man is in his feelings. I wonder why. Could it be because I don’t believe you’re the GOAT? Because I’ll never believe you’re the GOAT? Because I have you No. 2 at all times?”
From there, Smith wondered aloud whether LeBron would be treating him differently at this moment if he were to “put up the ticker tape right now,” notably one that effusively praised James for everything from being a “great father” to a “great leader.”
Michael Jordan, Smith’s personal GOAT pick, was then brought into the conversation.
“I mean, my god. I have done everything but put diapers and a bib on this brother but it ain’t enough because one thing matters to him and one thing only, and that’s him being recognized as the greatest of all time,” Smith told viewers. “Well, you’re not, in my book. That’s Michael Jordan.”
To drive home his point, Smith ran down a number of comparison stats between the two all-time greats before circling back to his assessment of who, exactly, made things “personal.” As Smith sees it, it was LeBron, not him, who took things in that direction. Smith went on to call LeBron “unquestionably one of the greatest players to have ever played basketball,” as well as to add that he has belief in Bronny’s future in the league.
Smith also elaborated on how he sees his role within the NBA, pointing out to viewers that he gets paid to talk “about” players, not “to” them, though he claimed to have tried on multiple occasions to do a sit-down with LeBron, only to be rejected each time.
Elsewhere, to the immediately expressed chagrin of many fans, Smith brought up the late Lakers legend Kobe Bryant, saying that LeBron should be glad about what he’s opted to not bring up amid their feud, including, in Smith’s words, “why you were not at Kobe Bryant’s memorial service.” Multiple prior reports, however, directly dispute this, including pieces from the Washington Post and the Los Angeles Times.