Stephen A. Smith is calling out what he sees as a double standard in how LeBron James handles criticism from the media.
During his visit to The Pivot podcast, Smith discussed his beef with LeBron James. In the course of talking about it, Smith said he's observed that the basketball legend deals with journalists differently depending on their race.
"You ever see LeBron go at a white boy? Let's call it what it is. You ever see him do that? You saw him come at me. Closest you ever came to seeing him do something like that [to a white journalist] was when he called out Brian Windhorst," said Smith. "What you calling out Brian Windhorst for? The man covered you since junior high school and has praised you repeatedly and you used the Pat McAfee situation to go at him. [T]hat's the only time you ever seen LeBron James really go at somebody white. I'm going to call it what it is."
Smith and James have had a complicated professional relationship. While Smith has often praised LeBron's career and impact, he has also criticized the star on issues ranging from leadership decisions to allegedly influencing his son Bronny's journey to the NBA. Tensions between the two resurfaced earlier this year when LeBron took public issue with Smith's remarks about Bronny on First Take and confronted him during a game.
In August, Smith appeared on Gilbert Arena's Gil's Arena podcast and shed light on the current standing of his relationship with James. Smith made it clear that he and Bron do not like each other, and there won't be a reconciliation anytime soon.
"There's no situation and there's no relationship," said Smith. "He doesn't like me, and I don't like him. There's nobody that can mediate. It's ok. I will tell you that I don't talk about him unless I'm asked."
He continued, "I have no desire to talk about him at all. He is, in my mind, the second greatest player in the history of basketball. His respect has been earned, not given, and nobody can deny that. But that's the basketball player, not the man — and all I would say is people don't know the things that have happened behind the scenes."