Tension doesn’t die in the world of sports. LeBron James and Stephen A. Smith have been trading blows for the past few months. Well, the Akron Hammer said his piece and has hit me with light jabs since. One of them included him sharing his thoughts with Richard Jefferson, a former teammate of his in Cleveland. However, for Jefferson he also has a present relationship with Stephen A. Smith.

So did the aftermath of his brief chat with LeBron James make things awkward?

Far from it. Jefferson maintains a neutral stance on the rift. Speaking about the ESPN headliner, the former Cavs forward is flattered by his work ethic. “Stephen A knows my respect for him. I think he sets the standard for work ethic in this industry, right? No one works harder. No one has earned a paycheck more than him,” he said about Smith.

When it comes to being between the lava, Richard Jefferson sees things clearly. “I don’t think Stephen A ever questioned, you know, my respect for him. I don’t think Bronn ever questioned my respect and brotherhood with him. So when you know and again I’m answering your question about was I in the middle of it? I’m like no, those two, my name’s Bennett, and I ain’t in it,” he expanded on SI Media With Jimmy Traina.

Looking back at the LeBron James-Stephen A. Smith saga, Richard Jefferson never played any part. He mentioned how his interaction with the four-time champion came after their heated interaction. Additionally, Jefferson never spoke from one side and remained neutral. Hence, there’s no question of things becoming awkward for him.

However, he may be forced to jump in after all. LeBron James doesn’t seem to have ended his war with ESPN just yet.

LeBron James gives Brian Windhorst another punch

The four-time MVP’s prime target is Stephen A. Smith. The analyst’s comments about his role as a father in endangering Bronny James ticked him off. But his fight against the media doesn’t end with one man. James also took a dig at Brian Windhorst, a reporter who has covered him since he was just 18.

“I see Brian Windhorst on one of these shows not too long ago. The guy who says he’s like my f*****g best friend. These guys… It’s weird,” he told Pat McAfee.

At that point, many actually stood with Windy. Even Stephen A. Smith hammered LeBron James for dragging his name into the situation. But nobody can shield Windhorst after his recent comments. Certainly, LeBron James remembers them, and his response was sharp.

While appearing on ESPN, the longtime analyst spoke about James’ podcast, Mind the Game. Because it isn’t a traditional podcast and deals with the analytical side of basketball, Windhorst thought “that’s not going to be any good,”.

Well, many viewers have tuned in and even thanked the pair for sharing knowledge about the sport. So in a since-deleted tweet, James responded to Windhorst’s criticism. “Long ways from being done!! Sucks they have to listen to 2 guys who know nothing about basketball talk about basketball!! Sorry @SteveNash!” he wrote.

So as long as LeBron James continues to play, it seems his issues with the media’s coverage of the sport aren’t going to wither. In such a fight, names really don’t matter. Be it Stephen A. Smith or Brian Windhorst, James might have a bone to pick with them and more.