Stephen A. Smith makes feelings clear on why he and LeBron James don’t get along

NBA analyst Stephen A. Smith continues to be on the case of his recent confrontation with LeBron James. He said it goes beyond what the LA Lakers superstar perceives to be him being too critical of his son Bronny as it is also about how he does not consider 'The King' as the basketball GOAT.

The outspoken ESPN talent opened up about it on the latest episode of "The Stephen A. Smith Show," highlighting how the takes he dishes out, like that on Bronny and LeBron James, is him just doing his job as an analyst.

"You see, I don't run and hide. If I'm wrong, I'll say I'm wrong," he said. "If I'm right. I'm right. I was never s***ting on Bronny James. I wouldn't do that to the James family. I was talking about one person, and one person only.

"We may never speak in life again. I'm fine with it. I get paid to talk about folks, not to them. I cover the league. You play, I watch, dissect, analyze and broadcast..."

Stephen A. Smith then went on to say that another reason why James and he do not get along is that he considers Michael Jordan over Bron in the basketball GOAT debate, saying:

"We don't get along. And there's a multitude of reason why I have alluded to some of them, but we know what the biggest reason is. I ain't Shannon Sharpe. It ain't GOAT status this way.

"My GOAT is Michael Jordan. [James] Ain't my GOAT. I watch the game. I'm a student of the game. I know a GOAT when I see one."

The issue between Smith and James flared up on March 6, when the latter approached the analyst and confronted him during their home game against the New York Knicks.

James reportedly confronted Smith for being too critical of Bronny, a Lakers rookie who has seen limited time in the NBA while also splitting time in the G League.

Stephen A. Smith says he wants Bronny James to succeed

While LeBron James confronted him over his take on the development of Bronny James in the NBA, Stephen A. Smith said that contrary to the perception of the four-time NBA champion, he wants his son to succeed.

The NBA analyst reiterated as his "beef" with James rages on, reiterating that what he has said was not about being critical of Bronny as a player but more of the situation he was put in by his father, potentially to the detriment of his development.

"I hope he flourishes into an NBA star," Smith said (via Fox Sports) "I don’t know anybody who roots against him, it certainly isn’t me. … And when I said the things that I said, I wasn’t talking about Bronny James because my attitude is he’s a rookie, he’s going to take some time to get himself together… I was talking about the position he was put in by his dad.”

Bronny, 20, was selected 55th in the 2024 NBA Draft after playing just one season at the University of Southern California.