"Act so wounded"- NBA analyst pinpoints double standards in Stephen A. Smith's rant about LeBron James' courtside confrontation

NBA analyst slams Stephen A. Smith
NBA analyst slams Stephen A. Smith's reaction after being confronted by LeBron James. -- Photo by GETTY

NBA analyst Nick Wright slammed ESPN's Stephen A. Smith for his reaction after he was recently confronted by LeBron James over his comments about his son and LA Lakers rookie Bronny James.

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The host of the "What's Wright Show" pinpointed to double standards by Smith when the latter raised a howl and said 'The King' was out of line during a recent Lakers game and reprimanded him over his Bronny comments.

Wright said Smith should also be mindful of where the media stands concerning the athletes they cover, saying:

"I have a good relationship with Stephen A. Smith... [But] We in the media have to recognize the actual stars are the people we're talking about. Sometimes we can be good enough or successful enough where we become supporting actors. But it's their movie.
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"And we in the media also have to have the humility to at times just take an L. We can't do what we do to these athletes and then act so wounded if somebody does it to us."
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Stephen A. Smith says what LeBron James did was "bulls***" and "weak"

Stephen A. Smith shared his side of the story from the confrontation with LeBron James, which he described as understandable but still a "bulls***" and "weak" move by the NBA superstar.

Speaking on Gilbert Arenas' podcast, Smith shared his displeasure with LeBron James for confronting him on courtside over his comments about his son Bronny.

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The host of ESPN's "First Take" said:

"I thought it was weak. I thought it was some bulls***. But, in the moment, I knew that I was listening to a father."

Stephen A. Smith described what happened, saying:

"I turned around he's right here in my face and says, 'Yo, you gotta stop talking s*** about my son. You gotta stop f**king with my son. That's my son, that's my son!"
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Since Bronny James was drafted by the LA Lakers in the 2024 NBA Draft, Stephen A. Smith has often reiterated that the youngster is not yet ready to play in the NBA.

Smith pointed out, however, that he was not being critical of Bronny at this stage of his career but more of LeBron James, for bringing his son to the NBA and playing alongside him too early. The NBA analyst believes that it has not helped Bronny's developing career.

In the ongoing NBA campaign, Bronny is splitting time between the NBA and G League. In the NBA, he has played in 18 games so far for the Lakers (40-25), averaging 1.4 points in 4.2 minutes per game.

Los Angeles Lakers Fan? Check out the latest Lakers depth chart, schedule, and roster updates all in one place.

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Edited by Dipayan Moitra
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