Stephen A. Smith seems to always have something to say, but when he came face-to-face with LeBron James recently he went awfully quiet. Smith was on NBA Countdown for Saturday’s game between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Denver Nuggets, and James came over to greet the crew before the contest.
Smith’s demeanor changed rather quickly and he was the only one on the crew, which also featured Kendrick Perkins, Bob Myers, and Malika Andrews, not to say a word. Fans think it showed that the 56-year-old Smith got scared when he met LeBron.
One said this is how LeBron’s haters act when they meet him, “LeBron haters when he pulls up in person.”
A fan said Smith was nervous around James, “SAS couldn’t utter a word his nervous a**, Bron had him shook, he was just being nice by dapping him up.”
One mocked Smith for his scoring average while pointing out that he went quiet, “Mr 1.9 pts a game got real quiet.”
A fan said Smith is loud until the person shows up in front of him, “Loudest man until u show up in front of him….”
One said Smith was trying to avoid eye contact, “Looking to the floor avoiding eye contact. Man look like he was on timeout.”
Whether he was scared or not, it was a bit odd to see Smith so subdued there. He is well-known for his brash personality on air but had nothing to say when James showed up. As for that game, LeBron and the Lakers would end up losing 124-114 to the Nuggets.
What Has Stephen A. Smith Said About LeBron James Recently?
If you look at some of the recent comments that Smith has made, you might get why he was acting in that manner. After All-Star weekend, Smith blasted James for killing the Slam Dunk contest.
“LeBron James is directly responsible for ruining the slam dunk contest… The slam dunk contest, from 1985 to 1997, five of the 13 contests were won by future Hall of Famers… Every high-jumper, skywalker, and above-the-rim talent, salivated for the opportunity to participate in the dunk contest. It stopped when LeBron said I’m not doing it… There is no one who knows basketball that would refute what I am saying. LeBron James refusing to participate was the beginning and the spark plug of its demise. Period! There is no one who can dispute that.”
As if that wasn’t enough to make things a bit awkward, Smith also criticized LeBron for calling out the media over Bronny James. The Lakers star was upset about the media scrutiny of his son, and Smith made it clear that LeBron was responsible for the attention that Bronny was getting. He wanted James to admit that as well.
Smith then predicted that the Los Angeles Clippers would demolish the Lakers when they met last week. Well, LeBron led the Lakers to an incredible 21-point comeback win over the Clippers and Smith issued an apology afterward.
To be fair to Stephen A., it is not as if he always talks about LeBron in a negative light. He has praised him a lot over the years, but the negative takes tend to stand out more than the positive ones.
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