LeBron James confronts Stephen A. Smith courtside over Bronny comments—Smith’s response may surprise you

LeBron James might be the NBA’s leading scorer and an entrant into the eternal conversation about the greatest NBA player of all time, but before that, he’s a father. When LeBron James’ son, Bronny James, was selected by the Los Angeles Lakers with the 55th pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, LeBron and Bronny James became the first father-and-son duo to play in an NBA game together. 

While the James’ family NBA story sounds like a success—and in many ways it is—that has not stopped NBA analysts from commenting on Bronny James’ impact during this, his rookie season, in the league. Because LeBron James is always a story, and because many in the media believe the only reason Bronny was drafted is because of his superstar father, LeBron and Bronny often end up as part of segments on sports talk shows.  

Stephen A. Smith, a sports analyst and highly-paid talking head has not been shy about his belief that Bronny James isn’t ready for the NBA and that the only reason he logs any NBA minutes is because of his father. Smith has constantly taken aim at LeBron, claiming that LeBron put his son in an unenviable position, forcing the Lakers to continue to provide opportunities for him to play. Smith even went so far as to plead with LeBron as a father to find a way to allow Bronny to earn his minutes to develop into a serviceable NBA player. 

Well, LeBron has taken issue with the constant (what he views as) berating of Bronny, and at a recent Lakers game at Madison Square Garden, where the New York Knicks hosted (and lost) to Los Angeles, LeBron confronted Smith, courtside before the game. The confrontation was caught on camera and it seemed to be LeBron taking issue with Smith speaking about his son.  

Smith confirmed as much on ESPN’s “First Take” Friday morning, sharing what everybody assumed: that LeBron, unexpectedly confronted him and speaking in very strong language, took issue with what he believed Smith had said about Bronny. While Smith pointed out he wishes LeBron would have reached out to him privately—saying that several people in LeBron’s circle have his number and he would have even flown out to speak with LeBron had he asked—Smith also said that, as a father and a parent, he understands (Smith is a parent to two daughters). 

“That wasn’t a basketball player confronting me; that was a parent. That was a father, and I can’t sit here and be angry or feel slighted by LeBron James in any way, in that regard,” said Smith on ESPN, reacting to the moment. “By all accounts, he’s obviously a wonderful family man and father who cares very, very deeply about his son, and based on some of the comments he had heard (or shall I say I think he thought he heard), clearly took exception to some of the things he heard me say, and he confronted me about it.”

While Smith understands why, as a father, LeBron feels a way about the perceived slights or criticism of Bronny, he explained that, as happens from time to time, Bronny James was part of the conversations about what’s happening in the NBA and because it’s his job, he had to speak about it. But, Smith explains he wasn’t speaking to or about Bronny James, but about LeBron James:

“He elected to confront me while I was sitting courtside. He walked right up to me, and he said what he had to say, and he feels like I was slighting his son. Now let me tell you what I feel…cause I was not going to engage in a confrontation at that particular moment in that setting. But if he had had that conversation, I would have said to LeBron James ‘I never would speak negatively about your son. I was talking about you.’”

Smith stands behind the idea that LeBron put his son in an unfair position with his comments about Bronny’s ability, especially in relation to the other players in the league with results, which have not panned out positively. As of March 2025, Bronny James is averaging 1.4 points per game and less than one rebound, steal, and assist per game in the 18 games he’s played on the Lakers roster.

“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, he’ll be just fine, especially with JJ Redick and the staff coaching him,” Smith continued. “I was talking about the position he was put in by his dad…Anything that goes awry as it pertains to his son, there’s going to be a microscopic eye even more intensified on Bronny James because of his dad.”

Smith, putting back on his “parent hat,” acknowledged the emotions and feelings you have as a parent wanting to protect and defend your kids from those seeking to speak negatively of them.

“If I was in his position, I cannot say definitively that I would not have done the same thing.”