Dave Portnoy called out Stephen A. Smith on Friday for using a “kid gloves treatment” at LeBron James after the Lakers superstar faced ESPN personality on Thursday at the end of the team's 113-109 home win.
In a long video posted to X, the founder of Barstool's Sports measured the ratings of the “first take” star on Friday morning when it appeared that James had told Smith to oust his son, Bronnie James, from his mouth.
“This is one of the most ridiculous controversies in the history of civilization,” Portnoy said in the video. “LeBron doesn't want Stephen A. or people or the media talking about Bronnie, a professional basketball player in one of the league's most renowned franchises. …What are you talking about here?”
“To go to Stephen A. and say, 'Hey, you can't talk about my kids,' and Stephen A puts the kids gloves on 'first take' today. If it's someone else, he's tearing this guy apart. …He's a professional player. …What do you expect?
“…Steven A., you're better. I thought he'd come out swinging, and I got it, you have a lot of pressure and you have connections and friends. But kids gloves in today's “First Take.” If it's someone who's approaching Stephen A and like, “Hey, don't talk about my kids,” he's the father talking to me and his child is in the NBA. Can't you talk about NBA kids? Ah, I hate this. ”
Footage of James' tense interaction with Smith took place on social media following Thursday's game in Los Angeles. Smith had no plans to address the issue on “First Take” on Friday, but changed course when the clip went viral.
A. Smith went viral in March 2025. x
By the Lakers last summer. nbae via Getty Images
“It was LeBron James coming up to me. I'll add that unexpectedly, to confront me about making sure I care about what I say about his son,” Smith said.
“…It wasn't a basketball player facing me, it was a parent and a father. I can't sit here and be mad or be downplayed by LeBron James. In all the explanations, he is clearly a great family man and father who cares so deeply about his son, and based on some of the comments he thinks he's heard, or apparently an exception to some of the things he's heard, and he confronted me about it.”
Smith, who recently agreed to a $100 million deal to stay with ESPN, offered level response on Friday, not one of his louder takes.
January 2025. Zumapress.com / Mega
And while Smith's reaction caught Portnoy off guard, both media personalities agreed that all of its catalysts were James. Not Bronnie, he has struggled at the pro level since being drafted in the second round by the Lakers last year.
“He's playing against big boys in the Big Boy League and he's stinking,” Portnoy said of the 20-year-old Lakers rookie. “And LeBron doesn't want to talk to the media about it? Is he going to go up to the people and get into their faces? What are you doing here?”
Portnoy said he slammed James with his “heartache” by putting his son on his “in this situation.”
“If the media doesn't want to talk about how your son is overmatched, it looks like make-a-wish. …To put him in this situation, it's that ego of LeBron Sr..”
James and Bronney made NBA history in October when they became the first father-son duo to play together.
Bronnie then played in 18 games for the Lakers, averaging 1.4 points, 0.4 rebounds and 0.4 assists in 4.2 minutes.
The Lakers have won eight straight games and are currently second in the Western Conference, 40-21.
