Former LeBron James teammate claims to have his profane texts about Stephen A. Smith immediately following confrontation

NBA: Los Angeles Lakers at Dallas Mavericks - Source: Imagn
Former LeBron James teammate claims to have his profane texts about Stephen A. Smith (Photo Credit: Imagn)

Over the past week, LeBron James and Stephen A. Smith have been one of the biggest talking points in the NBA. Days removed from their viral confrontation, one of the star forward's former teammates opened up on their exchange regarding the incident.

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On Wednesday, Patrick Beverley gave his thoughts on what happened between LeBron and Stephen A. He stated that he texted the 21-time All-Star shortly after he exchanged words with the longtime analyst regarding his son. Beverley stated that he got a response from LeBron but didn't reveal the full message.

"I text Bron," Beverley said. "Let me know if you want me to respond about that Stephen A. Smith s***. Buddy was out of line."
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"Say less gang," LeBron said to Beverley. "Blank blank blank he is, love gang." (24:30)

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LeBron James confronted Stephen A. Thursday after the LA Lakers took down the New York Knicks in overtime. He can be seen visibly upset with the ESPN host, telling him to leave his son out of his discourse on TV. This is in reference to comments Stephen A. has made in the past about Bronny James as he navigates his first year in the NBA.

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Beverley is someone with close ties to LeBron, as the two shared the floor together for a brief stretch on the Lakers. The journeyman point guard spent the first half of the 2023 season in LA before being moved at the trade deadline.


Stephen A. Smith gives his latest thoughts on the altercation with LeBron James

Since his run-in with LeBron James went viral on social media, Stephen A. Smith has talked about the incident on numerous occasions. He first gave his thoughts the following morning on First Take. The longtime analyst then joined Gilbert Arenas on his podcast Tuesday to further discuss what transpired.

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While speaking with Arenas and his co-hosts, Stephen A. did not hold back with his true thoughts. He admitted that he didn't approve of how the Lakers star approached him and did it publicly. However, Stephen A. does understand that LeBron did it from the perspective of a father instead of a player.

"I thought it was weak, I thought it was some bulls***," Stephen A. said. "But, in the moment, I knew that I was listening to a father."
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While Stephen A. has spoken about the incident numerous times now, LeBron James has yet to fully address what happened. The closest thing we've gotten to a response so far is his conversation with Richard Jefferson before Saturday's matchup with the Boston Celtics.

Part of LeBron's conversation got picked up from the microphones near the court. The Lakers star can be heard saying the main thing that frustrated him was Stephen A. calling him out as a father.

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It will likely be some time before we get an official LeBron response. The star forward is expected to be sidelined for one or two weeks after suffering a groin injury against the Celtics.

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Edited by Kevin McCormick
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