Stephen A. Smith has never been one to hold back and this week, he came for LeBron James with both barrels.
On The Stephen A. Smith Show, the outspoken ESPN analyst accused LeBron of “stat-padding” to strengthen his legacy and fuel the never-ending GOAT debate against Michael Jordan.
“He’s going to be 41, he’s in his 23rd year, stat-padding his way to make ignorant folks out there think that’s going to make him the GOAT over Jordan — not realizing that most of the stuff it took him 20+ years to do, Jordan did in 13. We going to look at all of that stuff and that’s fine, everybody’s entitled to their opinion, I’m telling you where the hell I stand.”
Smith’s comments came in response to LeBron’s now-infamous “Second Decision”, the dramatic teaser that had the basketball world believing he might announce his retirement, only for it to turn out to be a Hennessy advertisement. The marketing stunt sent fans and ticket prices into chaos, and while many brushed it off as clever trolling, Stephen A. was far less amused.
His latest remarks cut deeper, framing LeBron’s continued play not as a pursuit of excellence, but as a desperate chase for statistical supremacy. It’s a familiar critique from Smith, who has long argued that Jordan’s six titles and decade-plus of dominance outweigh LeBron’s longevity-based accolades.
Still, it’s hard not to see bias creeping in. Smith has clashed with LeBron before, and the two have had a tense public relationship for years. To many fans, Smith’s take feels less like basketball analysis and more like personal vendetta, especially when LeBron, even at 40, continues to average All-NBA numbers.
In 70 games last season, James put up 24.4 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 8.2 assists on 51% shooting, numbers few players could dream of maintaining in their prime, let alone in year 22. Calling that “stat-padding” ignores the fact that the Lakers still need him.
LeBron’s critics often use his longevity against him, claiming that stretching out his career is simply an attempt to rewrite the record books. But it’s equally fair to argue that he’s doing what the greats are supposed to do, adapt, evolve, and keep performing at an elite level until the very end.
As for Smith, he’s right about one thing: Jordan did more in less time. But LeBron’s case isn’t built on imitation, it’s built on endurance, consistency, and a level of production that no player his age has ever sustained.
Whether you think he’s chasing stats or chasing greatness, LeBron James is still performing at a level that commands respect. At 40 years old, with over two decades of NBA miles behind him, he doesn’t need to “pad” anything.
If Stephen A. wants to criticize him for making an ad that fooled everyone, fair. But questioning his right to still dominate the game, that’s not analysis. That’s bitterness disguised as basketball talk.
And as LeBron’s career winds down, one truth remains clear: whether you call him GOAT or not, you’re still watching him.
