NBA Fans are now witnessing a different kind of off-court drama involving LeBron James and ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith. The heated back-and-forth started after Smith accused LeBron of avoiding criticism toward white journalists while taking shots at Black ones.
“You ever see LeBron go at a white boy? Let’s call it what it is,” Smith said during his The Stephen A. Smith Show podcast. “You ever see him do that? You 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.”
Those words immediately drew fire from former NFL player Terrance “T-Sizzle” Holliday, who called out Smith for hypocrisy and “weaponizing race.” Holliday didn’t hold back, saying,
“Now, I can’t even sit here and enumerate the times that [Stephen A. Smith] had all smoke for magically melanated athletes or people. He is a selective journalistic prosecutor. He utilizes selective journalistic prosecution all the time. …So for him to say that, it’s like ‘damn, are we in Twilight Zone?’”
NBA Fans quickly split into sides. The argument isn’t just about LeBron’s handling of criticism—it touches on the deeper dynamics of how media and race intersect in American sports. NBA Fans now debate whether Smith’s take was an honest critique or another example of sensationalism disguised as “straight talk.”
Stephen A. Smith Fires Back, Calls LeBron James “Not The GOAT” Amid Heated Exchange
The feud between Stephen A. Smith and LeBron James just took another fiery turn, and NBA Fans are eating up every second of it. After LeBron’s indirect comments seemingly referenced Smith’s criticisms, the veteran analyst snapped back on his show.
“You don’t like me because you see me calling it like I see it,” Smith said. “You’re not Michael Jordan. You’re not the GOAT. You did choke in an NBA Finals.”
The comment sent NBA Fans into chaos, with timelines filled with debates, comparisons, and memes. Smith’s “not the GOAT” jab reignited the old Jordan vs. LeBron argument, something that never fails to light up the internet. Many fans felt Smith crossed the line, while others defended his right to critique as a journalist who’s built a career on blunt honesty.
Smith’s latest remarks came after he accused LeBron of avoiding confrontations with white reporters, something that sparked the earlier backlash. The veteran broadcaster seems unbothered by the reactions, standing firm on his claim that LeBron’s response patterns reflect “selective accountability.”
NBA Fans, however, are questioning whether Smith’s criticisms are still grounded in journalism or have veered into personal territory.
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Dan has been active in sports since 2016 and has worked behind the scenes as a scriptwriter for basketball, volleyball, and other sports. At a time, Dan has also been working as a sports commentator for CBA Pilipinas. During the pandemic, he has also been actively writing betting articles for CashBet and BetNow.
