The years-long feud between the NBA\u2019s all-time leading scorer, LeBron James, and ESPN\u2019s biggest personality, Stephen A. Smith, has been well documented and publicized, especially after things boiled over into a courtside confrontation at Crypto.com Arena last year.<\/p>\n
Following some pointed criticisms from Smith on the Los Angeles Lakers\u2019 drafting of James\u2019 son, Bronny, James walked up to Smith during a Lakers game, leading to the pair trading barbs over the internet and culminating with James\u2019 appearance on The Pat McAfee Show, where he ripped Smith and other media members.<\/p>\n
Smith said at the time that he no longer had any relationship with the Lakers superstar<\/a> and that he had zero interest in rekindling one.<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s no situation, and there\u2019s no relationship,\u201d Smith said. \u201cHe doesn\u2019t like me, and I don\u2019t like him.\u201d<\/p>\n Smith went as far as to claim that James has a double standard for black journalists.<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cYou ever see LeBron go at a white boy? Let\u2019s call it what it is. You ever see him do that? You\u2019ll say you saw him come at me,\u201d Smith said.<\/p>\n \u201cYou saw him come at me. Closest you ever came to seeing him do something like that [to a white journalist] was when he called out Brian Windhorst,\u201d Smith continued. \u201cWhat you calling out Brian Windhorst for? The man covered you since junior high school and has praised you repeatedly and you used the Pat McAfee situation to go at him. [T]hat\u2019s the only time you ever seen LeBron James really go at somebody white. I\u2019m going to call it what it is.\u201d<\/p>\n Earlier this year, Smith even stated that LeBron had tried to sabotage<\/a> his career, saying \u201cWe don\u2019t like each other. And the world needs to know that.\u201d<\/p>\n Shockingly, Smith sang James\u2019 praises<\/a> on Thursday\u2019s episode of First Take, acknowledging James\u2019 role in the Lakers\u2019 recent success, which has included deferring to Luka Don\u010di\u0107 and Austin Reaves as his physical prowess declines.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is one of the guys on the Mount Rushmore of basketball, one of the top 5, 4 players in the history of basketball,\u201d Smith said. \u201cOkay, who is a 4-time champion and a 4-time league MVP and was clearly the star of the Los Angeles Lakers all of these years that he has been there until Luka Don\u010di\u0107 arrived last season.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd all he does is go out there and not just play deferentially to Luka Don\u010di\u0107, he also does so to Austin Reaves. Austin Reaves goes down, he gets injured, he comes back, he allows Austin Reaves to work his way back into things. The unselfishness, the leadership, you just can\u2019t question it, you know. You know, if it was something to question, I wouldn\u2019t hesitate to question it.\u201d<\/p>\n Stephen A with high praise for LeBron during Lakers winning streak:<\/p>\n \u201cThis man has been a exceptional leader, exceptional champion, an exceptional winner and he\u2019s showing it as we speak\u201d<\/p>\n (Via @FirstTake<\/a>) pic.twitter.com\/GPqU6vvUBN<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 NBA Courtside (@NBA__Courtside) March 19, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n It\u2019s quite the pivot for Stephen A. Smith, who questioned if winning championships was still James\u2019 top priority<\/a> after the Lakers were eliminated from the playoffs last season. The First Take star is well aware of how ironic the praise coming from him is, but even he won\u2019t deny LeBron\u2019s greatness.<\/p>\n \u201cWe know who we listening to right now. But the bottom line is, I can\u2019t do that. That\u2019s not fair, and that\u2019s not accurate,\u201d Smith said.<\/p>\n \t