LeBron James has finally publicly addressed his in-game confrontation with ESPN analyst Stephen A. Smith.
Nearly three weeks after approaching Smith during the Lakers’ meeting with the analyst’s beloved Knicks, James spoke on the confrontation during an appearance on the “Pat McAfee show”.
With James in Indianapolis to face the Pacers, he visited McAfee’s studio, making for a more personal interview dynamic. With the program airing on ESPN, the two did not waste much time addressing the elephant in the room.
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James didn’t disclose exactly what he said to Smith, but he shared his intentions and motivations behind the conversation. Here’s more on what James had to say about Smith and the interaction between the two earlier in the month.
LeBron James explains his side of Stephen A. Smith confrontation
James first addressed Smith’s content in the aftermath of the confrontation, calling it a “Taylor Swift tour.”
He then attempted to point out the irony of Smith saying he did not plan on addressing the confrontation, saying, “Are you kidding me? If it’s one person that couldn’t wait for the video to drop so you can address it, it’s your ass!”
From there, however, James offered a more thoughtful explanation of his actions, saying that the confrontation is rooted in the nature of Smith’s criticisms.
“He completely missed the whole point. The whole point,” James said. “Never would I ever not allow people to talk about the sport and criticize players about what they do.
“Stephen A Smith is on a Taylor Swift tour run right now 😂😂
He completely missed the whole point..
He got personal with it and it’s my job to not only protect my own household but also all the players” @KingJames #PMSLive pic.twitter.com/LKKFmvtFWM
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) March 26, 2025
“That is your job to criticize, or to be in a position where if a guy’s not performing [you can criticize them], you know? That’s all part of the game. But when you take it and you get personal with it, it’s my job to not only protect my damn household, but protect the players,” James said.
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After explaining his side of things and why he did what he did, James was ready to move to another topic. But not before one final dig at Smith.
“I know he’s gonna be happy as hell — he’s gonna be smiling from ear to ear when he hears me talking about him,” James said. “Oh my God, he’s gonna get home, grab some ice cream out of the f—ing freezer and sit in a chair, in his tighty whities on the couch. Relax, bro like relax. Like, seriously.”
James addressing the situation and sending a final shot at Smith could open the door for more comments from the ESPN personality. With that in mind, this saga will likely last for another three weeks, if not longer.
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