Stephen A. Smith Alleges LeBron James Threw Punch After NBA Star’s Courtside Clash Comments

Stephen A. Smith Claims He Would’ve Punched LeBron James After Courtside Clash
By Daniel Matthews
Updated: 01:00 GMT, 27 March 2025

Stephen A. Smith has sparked controversy by claiming he would have thrown a punch at LeBron James had the NBA star physically confronted him during their heated courtside exchange at a Lakers-Knicks game on March 6. The ESPN personality doubled down on his stance during a fiery segment on his YouTube show, escalating a war of words with the four-time NBA champion.

The Confrontation
Cameras captured the tense moment when James, 39, approached Smith during the Lakers’ 116-112 loss to the Knicks. The argument reportedly stemmed from Smith’s criticism of LeBron’s son, Bronny James, and his readiness for the NBA.

[Insert Image 1: Stephen A. Smith and LeBron James during their courtside clash]

“Had that man put his hands on me, I would have immediately swung on him. Immediately,” Smith declared. “I would’ve gotten my a** kicked… but I’m not tolerating that.” He compared the scenario to Will Smith slapping Chris Rock at the 2022 Oscars but insisted he “knew [LeBron] wasn’t going to do something like that.”

Smith’s Explosive Accusations
The First Take host accused LeBron of lying about the incident and being “two-faced.” “There’s one person in this ordeal that’s telling the truth… his a** lies a lot,” Smith said, adding he has “nothing to say to [LeBron] now—we’ll probably never speak again.”

[Insert Image 2: LeBron James and Stephen A. Smith in split-screen images]

LeBron’s Savage Response
James fired back during an appearance on The Pat McAfee Show, mocking Smith for relentlessly discussing their clash. “He’s on a Taylor Swift tour run right now,” LeBron quipped, referencing Smith’s repeated commentary. “He couldn’t wait for the video to drop.”

The Lakers star denied Smith’s claims that the dispute was about Bronny, stating, “He completely missed the point… You don’t get personal about my family.”

[Insert Image 3: LeBron James speaking on the Pat McAfee Show]

Roots of the Feud
Tensions began when Smith critiqued Bronny’s NBA potential amid his cardiac arrest recovery, suggesting teams might draft him to lure LeBron. James interpreted this as a slight on his son’s work ethic, leading to the courtside confrontation.

While Smith insists he never attacked Bronny personally, LeBron maintains the analyst crossed a line. “It’s my job to protect my household and the players,” he said.

The public spat shows no signs of cooling, with both sides refusing to back down. As the NBA season continues, all eyes remain on this unprecedented celebrity-athlete feud.

Follow us for more updates on this developing story.

Images: Getty, Twitter/@PatMcAfeeShow
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