In a recent appearance on the ‘360 with Speedy’ podcast, Stephen A. Smith set the record straight on his current feelings toward Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James. After their viral exchange earlier this season, Smith says he has no fear of the King and suggested that things would not have gone his way in a physical altercation.
“People could say I would have gotten my a** kicked, but did you see who I walked in with? He was 10 feet away,” said Smith. “So whatever was gonna happen would have had to happen quickly because that brother right there, that is 330-plus, that is my bodyguard, and not to mention a whole of other people who I have around me, I really don’t have a whole lot to worry about.”
Stephen A. isn’t just a reporter, he’s the face of ESPN and a major icon in the NBA media. He recently agreed to a two-year, $100 million extension that will make his salary higher than many professional athletes. It’s that worth, Smith says, that makes him such an important investment and why the network is willing to go to such great lengths to protect him.
“Anybody can get got, I’m fully aware of that. But on a very serious note, everywhere I go, ESPN knows. Local police, FBI, everything. He’s just with me, but I’m always guarded because I’m an investment. We’ve got people out here that’s got people protecting them, and they’re bringing in a little paper. I make a lot of money for the mouse, so if people want to think that I’m just walking around… I don’t have anybody around me. He’s just my blood; that’s my brother right there. I like my odds.”
When LeBron James confronted Stephen A. courtside, it appeared to be on the verge of getting physical, and many fans joked that Smith would have gotten destroyed in the fight. Outmatched or not, Smith says that he would have responded with full force if James put his hands on him.
“It’s not about LeBron, it’s about anybody. If somebody walks up to you and hits you, you’re not going to protect yourself? I would’ve [hit him].”
Ever since Stephen A. went viral over a social media boxing video, critics have been bullish on his fighting skills. The clip was an embarrassment for Smith, but he says that the moment from years ago does not reflect his abilities today.
“If people want to think that’s how I throw hands, that’s okay. If that’s how you think I throw hands, you do what you do. All I know is this: I’m not gonna sit by and let somebody put their hands on me. I don’t give a sh*t who you are.”
At 6’9″ and 250 pounds, LeBron would have only needed a second to lay out Stephen A. Smith that night, but that doesn’t mean it would have gone unanswered. Whether it was by Smith himself or his bodyguard, James would have had to pay for making things physical, but things never got to that point.
Fortunately, LeBron was able to make his point without escalation, and all Stephen A. could do was comply so that everyone could move. In the end, it’s no surprise that Stephen A. Smith likes his odds against the King, but anything more than a verbal war would be bad news for everyone involved.
