Last night, following the Los Angeles Lakers’ 111-102 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves, Lakers forward LeBron James responded to comments made by Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards. During NBA All-Star media day two weeks ago, Edwards stated that he does not feel like a top candidate to be considered the face of the league.
James, who has been widely regarded as the face of the NBA since being drafted in 2003, said he could relate to how Edwards feels about his role in the league. LeBron also explained why he felt this way, saying, “Why do you want to be the face of the league when all the people that cover our game and talk about our game on a day-to-day basis s**t on everybody?”
ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith took issue with James’ remarks about the media during Friday’s edition of First Take.
“That’s some BS,” Smith stated in a nearly four-minute reaction to James’ comments from the night before. “I’m not saying everything he said was BS because I understand there’s an enormous amount of pressure that comes with being the face of the league. I get that, but I don’t appreciate what he said. I really, really don’t.”
Smith then elaborated on why the league—and James in particular—deserved criticism, specifically pointing to how the Lakers superstar withdrew from playing in the All-Star Game just hours before tipoff. He also highlighted the growing number of former players who have transitioned into media roles as analysts.
“I’d like to remind LeBron James that there’s a whole bunch of people covering the league,” Smith explained. “They’re former players. Oh yeah, they’re former players. Not just reporters. Former big-time players. Former Hall of Fame players. They talk about the league too. And it’s reminiscent of what I said about Kevin Durant—can anybody talk about y’all? Is everything negative?”
Stephen A. Smith then challenged James and others in the media to name a host who covers the NBA more than he does, emphasizing that basketball remains a top topic on his network’s programming.
“To sit up there and say, ‘You know what? Why would you want to be the face of the league when everybody’s talking bleep about you all the damn time,’” Smith prefaced, “I’m sick and tired of them acting like everybody’s talking bleep about them all the damn time.”
Smith concluded his thoughts by saying, “This is the kind of stuff we’re dealing with, so it’s just utterly ridiculous.”
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