Several weeks after a courtside confrontation between Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James and ESPN commentator Stephen A. Smith, the storyline continued to progress with both professionals exchanging their thoughts on one another. James, appearing on The Pat McAfee Show, talked about how Smith missed the point pertaining to the original disputation and would probably be thrilled that he was bringing him up again. In his response, Smith called James a liar and stated that he does not like him but will continue to cover him and the sport professionally. FS1 personality Nick Wright reacted to everything going on during the latest edition of his What’s Wright? podcast on Thursday.
Wright explained his belief that Smith had made “a grievous error” and how he had collected a loss in this situation because of not previously divulging his disdain for the Lakers superstar. Smith has been consistent in saying that James is the second-best basketball player to ever play the game, something that he conveys others take as an insult. In claiming to do an honest analysis of the situation, Wright surmised what he thinks is the genuine rationale as to why Smith articulates former Chicago Bulls guard Michael Jordan as being his greatest of all time over James.
“‘What’s been the problem?,’” Wright said. “‘Was there something personal before?,’ and the answer’s ‘No.’ LeBron wouldn’t talk to him. That was the problem. LeBron wouldn’t talk to him or acknowledge him, and Michael Jordan texts with him. That’s it, that’s the whole thing. That’s the start of it.”
Wright explained that people always ask him if he believes what he is saying, to which he responds that it is always the case. At the same time, he admitted that there are moments when he will enhance aspects of his presentation, but he is always authentic in the opinions that he is disseminating. Wright seemed to insinuate that Smith is unable to take the loss in this situation and fighting a war of words while James is on the court playing the games. On top of that, James and his son, Bronny, are having success as the Lakers look to secure a playoff spot.
“You have now positioned yourself where anytime you give fair analysis about a good Laker game or Bronny or whatever, you’re going to get ripped for that too,” Wright said of Smith. “You are so boxed in, and the guy, honest to God, so much of this, as I’ve said before, so much of the toxicity of sports media across all sports nad all our debates is actually about Michael Jordan and that era and that era of people who came up in that era being like, ‘Man, my childhood was the best – I promise.’”
In the end, Wright articulated that this ultimately generates from Smith having a relationship with Jordan while James will not talk to him. Whereas Jordan is no longer playing basketball professionally, James is in his 22nd season and became the first player in league history to suit up alongside his son. As he continues to extend the all-time scoring record and fight for a fifth league championship, Wright does not think Smith has an opportunity to garner victory in this situation.
“It’s just a war you’re not going to win, and it’s a war you’re not going to win because I think, because of your popularity and success and talent, enough people have watched you for long enough that we know what the record says, and we know you have always claimed you have no problem with LeBron, he has a problem with you,” Wright said. “And then today, you say, ‘He will smile in your face, then stab you in the back. That’s why I don’t like him.’ Is that just in the last two weeks? ‘Literally circumvented the meritocracy in the NBA.’ That in the last two weeks?”
Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. To stay updated, sign up for our newsletters and get the latest information delivered straight to your inbox.
