“LeBron is a global iconic brand” - Stephen A. Smith believes Lakers superstar is the MVP in US sports

LeBron James is without question one of the biggest stars in all of sports today. With Al Hilal willing to spend upwards of $1 billion to acquire renowned footballer Kylian Mbappe, there's been plenty of talk about the biggest stars in sports.

The contract would be a massive landmark deal in the world of sports, with the team willing to pay the $332 million transfer fee and a $776 million salary. Naturally, the situation earned plenty of interest worldwide across a wide range of sports, given that it came on the heels of another massive deal.

Prior to Mbappe's offer from Al Hilal, World Cup hero Lionel Messi made his debut for MLS team Inter Miami after signing a whopping contract worth up to $150 million. Given that, there has been plenty of discussions about who the biggest stars in professional sports are.

During a recent appearance on First Take, longtime analyst and outspoken TV host Stephen A. Smith dubbed LeBron James the MVP of US sports.

"LeBron James is a global iconic brand as well as the NBA being a global iconic brand and I think when you think about LeBron James it's not just his greatness as a basketball player, it's also him being the conscientious observer that he is. So there's no indifference when it comes to him. You love him or you can't stand him."

"There are people who can't stand him and then people like me, you Harry and many others, who love and appreciate what he brings to the world of sports and what have you."

What LeBron James said about Kylian Mbappe's historic offer

When news surfaced of Kylian Mbappe's historic offer to join Al Hilal, athletes around the world were quick to weigh in with their thoughts on the matter. In the case of former two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo, he joked that he looked enough like Mbappe that he should get an offer from the team as well.

In the case of LeBron James, when the four-time NBA champ found out about the offer, he tweeted a gif of Forrest Gump running on Twitter. Along with the gif, he joked that he would be running to Saudi Arabia when his longtime friends and business partners Rich Paul & Maverick Carter got the call.

2023 NBA All-Star Game

(Suggested reading: Top ten international players from 2022-23 season)

His tweet seemed similar to that of fellow NBA star Draymond Green, who joked that the ink on his newly signed contract has yet to dry.

Given that Mbappe's contract offer would see him earn more than the 17 highest-paid NBA players combined, it's no wonder the sporting world has continued to discuss the deal.