Stephen A. Smith says he would have swung at LeBron James if confrontation turned physical

The feud between ESPN commentator Stephen A. Smith and NBA star LeBron James escalated this week, with heated exchanges on air and social media.

The incident stemmed from a March 6 Lakers game, where James reportedly confronted Smith courtside, telling him to stop criticizing his son, Bronny James. Speaking on The Pat McAfee Show, LeBron explained that the moment was about protecting his family.

Later that evening, Smith responded during a live broadcast on his YouTube channel, calling the confrontation “bulls*** and weak.” He went on to accuse James of lying about his coverage of Bronny and insisted that, had James laid a hand on him, he would have retaliated.

“Had that man put his hands on me, I would have immediately swung on him,” Smith remarked. “I would have gotten my ass kicked… but I wouldn’t tolerate that.” He also compared the scenario to the Will Smith-Chris Rock Oscars incident, saying he avoided escalating things due to the public setting and ongoing game.

Smith defended his commentary, saying he never insulted Bronny but merely pointed out the challenges faced by a second-round NBA draft pick. “I have not been s***ting on his son,” he said, adding that discussing Bronny’s development is not the same as personally attacking him.

He dismissed the notion that his commentary was for attention, though admitted he talks about major figures like LeBron because it’s part of his job. “Do I use him for ratings? You’re damn right,” he added.

As the back-and-forth plays out publicly, the feud continues to generate widespread buzz across sports media.