Stephen A. Smith says he wouldve swung at LeBron if NBA star got physical as beef takes latest twist
If Stephen A.Smith was looking to move past his now-infamous confrontation with Lakers star LeBron James, he didn’t do so on Wednesday’s edition of his self-titled podcast.After James went on “The Pat McAfee Show” and called out the ESPN talking head, Smith spent his entire show ripping James, saying at one point that he would have “swung on” the NBA legend if things got physical during their confrontation at a March 6 Lakers-Knicks game in Los Angeles.
“When he approached me sitting courtside at that game against the New York Knicks, when he rolled up on me I didn’t know he was gonna roll up on me,” Smith said. “I had no idea, but when he said what he had to say I was in no position to give any kind of retort without making a scene.It was during the third quarter, it was fresh out of a timeout, it was him walking to the basketball court.
It was on national television, the cameras were rolling and had I done something what do ya’ll want me to do? You want this to be a reincarnation of Chris Rock and Will Smith?“And let me state for the record while we bring up that, let me assure you it wouldn’t have gone down like that.I would have gotten my ass kicked because if that man put his hands on me I would’ve immediately swung on him.
Immediately.That I’m not going to tolerate.” Smith went on to say that he knew nothing like that would have occurred and that there was no “fear” going through his mind. The “First Take” panelist reiterated that the comments believed to have gotten under James’ skin were not about Bronny James — the hooper’s oldest son and fellow Lakers teammate — but about James himself. Since Bronny was drafted last summer by the Lakers last summer, accusations of nepotism have followed the rookie around, with many questioning if he was NBA-ready and believing that he was only in the league due to his father. Smith has discussed Bronny and his situation on the air, but it was comments on the Jan.
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