LeBron James put me in a challenging situation

Smith and James Feud Escalates

The ongoing tension between Stephen A. Smith and LeBron James took a new twist recently. James accused Smith of staging their on-camera interaction during a Lakers game back in March.

“I really don’t like his ass,” Smith claimed during his appearance on the podcast “7:00 PM in Brooklyn,” which is hosted by former Knicks player Carmelo Anthony. He also mentioned that their issues go back more than a decade.

“I think he has one persona in public and another behind closed doors,” Smith said. “Even if he isn’t directly quoted, his comments reach me and it seems like he wants to undermine me. Honestly, if it were up to him, I probably wouldn’t be around anymore. It’s pretty low level, honestly.”

Smith had previously discussed how the confrontation arose from his critique of Bronny, James’ eldest son, and his role on the Lakers.

In a recent podcast, Smith called out James for framing him improperly, saying, “The day he approached me at that game was also when it was announced that I would remain at ESPN. You can check the angles. We have so much technology now. How is it that only one angle shows his face and not mine?”

He expressed frustration over James suggesting he needed to “protect his family,” which Smith claimed was the last straw. “Honestly, when I heard that, it just made me so angry,” he said. “The level of disrespect I’ve felt in my life doesn’t compare to what he did. It’s revolting that someone would imply I’m the kind of person to attack a family.”