The NBA community is in a weird place right now as Stephen A. Smith (the game’s loudest media voice) clashes with LeBron James (the league’s most iconic player). Their feud has taken a nasty turn over the past few days, and league commissioner Adam Silver finally spoke up with his own thoughts on the situation.
“My phone was in front of me, and I received several texts that said ‘Are you watching this?’ And I said, ‘What’s this?’ And they said Stephen A., so I understand, and I saw some of the headlines that came out of this,” said Silver.”
Adam Silver didn’t really take one side or the other in this epic showdown, but he did expound on the greater point, which is media coverage as a whole. Like LeBron, Adam sees some areas of improvement in how the game is being covered.
“Joe [Dumars] was saying to the team representatives that we’re a particular sport in which that kind of debate seems to be part of the DNA of this league,” said Silver, via Vince Goodwill. “I’m jealous sometimes that it seems like in other sports it seems to be more celebratory than it is in the NBA… Sometimes it’s wonderful to see so much interest in our sport, but at other times, I cringe at the coverage. When it becomes very personal between a media member and a player, it’s not something I want to see. But we’d like the focus to stay on their play on the floor. When it becomes very personal between a media member and a player, it’s not something I want to see.”
The NBA media has been under scrutiny this season as players and fans protest over the often negative and ill-informed coverage. Shows like Inside the NBA, First Take, and NBA Countdown are often credited more for spreading drama around the league than telling high-quality stories.
In a recent appearance on the Pat McAfee show, LeBron James took his latest swings at the NBA media and called them out for their lack of basketball knowledge. James exposed many ex-players in the field, claiming they didn’t actually know how to properly play the game.
LeBron’s comments have prompted countless responses, and they’ve also caused a larger conversation on what NBA coverage should look like. Compared to other sports, the media can often be hypercritical and focus on the negative stories over the positive ones.
The NBA can only do so much to control the narrative of the sport, but Adam Silver is doing his part by sending the right message to his fans. Going forward, Silver wants to see more positive and celebratory attitudes toward the game that help bring excitement rather than resentment. Instead of condemning the modern playstyle and trends of the players, Silver wants the media to embrace them and find something worthy of recognition.
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