Did LeBron James reignite the fire? To say the least, we aren’t sure. Ever since the superstar took a brutal dig at the NBA media after the Lakers‘ Thursday night win over the Wolves, it’s a hostile situation. While Bron addressed the media as a whole, Stephen A. Smith invited himself to the party and fired back at the superstar with a series of social media counterattacks. The 4x Champ usually gives a silent treatment to such an act, but he doubled down and left the veteran analyst with no option other than to create a scene.

After LeBron James’ initial comments about the NBA media pushing a “weird energy”, which he claimed led to Anthony Edwards not wanting to be the next face of the league, the conversation didn’t stop there.

The very next day—yes, the Lakers were on a back-to-back—LeBron was put on the spot again. This time, it was ESPN’s Scott Van Pelt who got the 40-year-old superstar on air after the Lakers’ win over the Clippers. Van Pelt didn’t waste any time and asked LeBron directly—how does he think the media should cover his game?

LeBron James, on the other hand, dropped the most poetic response ever and even Stephen A. Smith agreed to it, but with a twist. “When it comes to my generation and the younger generation… we’re playing for the love of the game,” said Bron passionately. He concluded, “We’re just trying to carry on tradition. My generation… The younger generation that’s doing their thing as well.” 

The twist here is Smith agreed to Bron’s statement but still had reservations about his accusation on media coverage. Smith reposted Van Pelt’s interview on his X and wrote, “…Critiquing the game, pointing out who’s doing and who’s not doing is NOT (bleeping) on the game.” As I said earlier, Akron Hammer, who usually gives a silent treatment, this time was different. The superstar also reposted the interview on his X and wrote, “Nice linking up with you again @notthefakeSVP! Always a pleasure.” So, what does it leave the veteran analyst with? Another series of counterattacks? We never know.

LeBron James and Stephen A. Smith: A never-ending clash

Stephen A. Smith, one of the most seasoned NBA analysts, has never shied away from criticizing LeBron James. Their long-running beef started with the GOAT debate, where Smith has consistently defended Michael Jordan’s legacy, refusing to let LeBron take the crown.

But it didn’t stop there. Over the years, Smith has accused LeBron of pulling strings behind the scenes—from forcing trades to influencing coaching decisions. One of the biggest accusations? That LeBron played a major role in hiring JJ Redick as the Lakers’ head coach.

At the time, Redick had zero NBA coaching experience, making the move highly controversial. While the Lakers are performing well under him now, back then, the decision sparked major backlash—and Smith was right in the middle of it all.

In that lineup, when the ‘Face of the league’ debate popped up, Smith was quick to pounce on him. James, in his rant, clearly stated that the league wasn’t about “one player or one show, it’s about the culture of basketball,” via X. However, Smith being Smith, took the spotlight on him, saying, “When he talks about people covering the league, we know he’s talking about me… and he’s not just talking about people like me, he talked about Inside the NBA.”

Moreover, the veteran’s colleague Brian Windhorst echoed Smith’s take and said, “He also said I never asked to be the face of the league. Of course, he asked to be the face of the league. He signed a $90 million Nike contract. Why? Because of Jordan.” Anyway, it’s up to LBJ whether to respond to the accusation or not. Will he respond and keep the fire burning? Let us know in the comments below.