LeBron James Caught on Hot Mic Recounting Heated Incident with Stephen A. Smith to Richard Jefferson

Mar. 15, 2025

LeBron James (L); Stephen A. Smith (M); Richard Jefferson (R).Photo:Atiba Jefferson/NBAE via Getty; Aaron M. Sprecher/Getty; Kevin Mazur/Getty

Atiba Jefferson/NBAE via Getty; Aaron M. Sprecher/Getty; Kevin Mazur/Getty

LeBron Jameswas caught on a hot mic talking about histense interaction with Stephen A. Smith.

Before the Lakers took a loss to the Boston Celtics on Saturday, March 8, Jameswas filmedspeaking with ESPN broadcasterRichard Jeffersonon the sidelines. In the video, the Lakers star, 40, appeared to recount his heated conversation with Smith, 57, while talking to Jefferson.

“That’s the only thing I’m tripping,” James said, continuing, “I don’t give a f—. Once he talks about, ‘I’m pleading to you as a father.’ I can’t.”

LeBron James.Tyler Ross/NBAE via Getty

Tyler Ross/NBAE via Getty

The conversation comes just days after James' heated run-in with Smith courtside on March 6 was caught on cameras. Fans speculated that James was confronting Smith about his criticism ofBronny James— who joined his father on the Lakers roster this season.

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“I really understood where he was coming from,” Smith said on ESPN’sFirst Takeafter the incident went viral. “He was very, very upset. I could tell. But he could’ve called me. I’d have came to see him. I’d have had a conversation with him. He could’ve been just as upset face-to-face, man-to-man as opposed to being courtside at the game."

LeBron James #23 and Bronny James #9 of the Los Angeles Lakers pose for a portrait during NBA Media Day.Atiba Jefferson/NBAE via Getty

Atiba Jefferson/NBAE via Getty

Smith said he had “no idea” the video had spread on social media “until I woke up this morning.”

“But it is what it is in the end,” Smith continued. “Like I said, as a father, I get it. I’m not offended. I’m not insulted. I don’t have any animosity or animus towards LeBron James for this, nothing like that.”

Smith has criticized Bronny’s performance in the NBA since he was drafted and said in recent weeks that he believes Bronny,averaging 1.4 points per gamethis season, is only in the NBA “because of his dad.”

source: people.com