Thursday night, LeBron James confronted ESPN commentator Stephen A. Smith courtside during the Lakers-Knicks game. A video of the confrontation showed the Lakers star getting in Smith's face and warning him to "keep my son out this sh*t."
Well, in case LeBron was unaware, when you force your son into the big leagues you also invite the responsibility, the pressure and sometimes the criticism that comes with going pro. While some might say this is “protection” I believe it is pride.
You listen to my take from The Weekly Brief Preview episode 2 below:
Smith opened ESPN’s "First Take" on Friday discussing the exchange. Smith essentially said it was LeBron defending his son and Smith understands, he says, where he [Lebron] was coming from as a father.
"He walked right up to me, and he said what he had to say, and he feels like I was slighting his son,” Smith said. “Now let me tell you what I feel. What I would have said if we were in a different environment, 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."
LeBron is presumably referring to comments Smith made repeatedly last month when he "pleaded" with LeBron to stop pushing for his son Bronny to remain on the Lakers’ main roster. He’s more generous than I—I say got back to the G League and return when you can do better.
"I am pleading with LeBron James, as a father. Stop this. We all know Bronny James is in the NBA because of his dad," Smith said before accusing James of exposing his son as not ready for the NBA. "He belongs in the G League [until he's ready to play in the NBA]," Smith added, citing Bronny averaging 0 points, 0 assists, and 0 rebounds in the NBA through his first 13 games.
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Let’s look at a brief history of the not so star player, Bronny.
Bronny averaged around 14 points per game at the high school level. For comparison, his father, LeBron James, averaged 31.6 points in his senior year of high school. Perhaps, that's why he [LeBron] was drafted right away into the NBA.
Kobe Bryant averaged 30.8 points in high school, Kyrie Irving 26.5 points per game, and Michael Jordan 25 points per game.
Beyond high school, Bronny played just one season at the University of Southern California (USC) where he had a cardiac incident.
There he averaged less than 5 points per game—in his lone season at USC at the Collegiate level, he averaged less than 5 points per game (let that sink in).
Averaging that 5 points per game was apparently all the NBA needed to see (perhaps the influence of his billionaire father also added to the pressure to draft him).
In 2024, Bronny signed a 4-year $7.9 million contract with the Los Angeles Lakers, he was the 55th pick of the NBA draft.
On January 28, 2025, Bronny played alongside his father against the Philadelphia 76ers. He played for 15 minutes straight but did not score a single point.
Bronny continued performances like this is what led to Smith’s commentary.
When does protection become toxic?
My question to those members of the LeBron Cult: why can’t a sports commentator share their opinion? Where, in Smith’s case, is the uncaused criticism?
When viewing Smith’s full perspective, it is clear Smith (an adult) is criticizing LeBron (who is an adult in age, but acts like a child in temperament). By all accounts, Smith was calling out LeBron—not Bronny.
LeBron used his influence to force the Lakers to draft his son, telling the franchise before the draft, "You want [to keep] me? Draft Bronny." The hubris and arrogance is, as they say, “crazy work”.
While defending your son is admirable, and in fact, protection is the chief responsibility of a father, LeBron was unhinged—a billionaire bully, using his privilege and position to push his son into positions he would never be in if solely based on merit and Bronny’s current ability.
In reality, LeBron’s actions have a veneer of “protection” but are really a brew of toxic paternalism.
Fathers should not act like LeBron.
Fathers don’t push their children into places or spaces they aren’t ready for, and then bully and bat away criticism, advice, and lawful criticism. It’s childish on LeBron’s part.
LeBron's insistence that his son enter the NBA simply to "make history" could destroy the younger James. It's an exercise in pride, not the historic legacy LeBron has so forcefully pushed on the NBA.
One can only imagine the angst, anxiety and pressure the younger James is experiencing. We all know this is what LeBron James wanted, but is it what Bronny wanted? I think only time, as it always does, will tell.
That’s my take.
—Shakur
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