What’s Beef?
The Stephen A. Smith/Lebron James beef is one of the more bizarre and one of the most asinine things I have ever seen. This beef was born of one man, Stephen A. Smith, with an incredible ego that was matched by another man, LeBron James, who is also incredibly petty.
It all started back on Jan. 28 when Stephen A. delivered a monologue about Bronny James’ poor play with the L.A. Lakers and pleaded on LeBron James to “stop this.” Stephen A.’s comments that LeBron should put a stop to it caused quite the ruckus because Smith pleaded to LeBron as a father, not as a team captain or basketball player:
“I am pleading with LeBron James as a father – stop this. Stop this. We all know Bronny is in the NBA because of his father.”
– Stephen A. Smith on First Take
That monolouge on First Take was the breaking point for LeBron & his camp who felt that commentators like Stephen A. had been taking shots at LeBron for far too long without a response. LeBron would finally respond on March 6th in a very public way:
Damn LeBron stepped to Stephen A Smith👀👀👀 pic.twitter.com/ZJIDcPU4dL
— LegendOfWinning (@LegendOfWinning) March 7, 2025
After this confrontation it appeared LeBron had the high ground. Stephen A’s comments about Bronny seemed out of line in the sense of how Smith approached it… but Smith wasn’t necessarily wrong. Keep in mind it was LeBron who tweeted:
Man Bronny definitely better than some of these cats I've been watching on league pass today. Shit lightweight hilarious 🤣🤣🤣🤣
— LeBron James (@KingJames) March 7, 2023
When you make comments like that and then proceed to campaign to get your son into the league(and ultimately play with him) you’re essentially putting a target on the young man’s back. I personally didn’t have a problem with the nepotism nor the unwavering belief LeBron has in his son. I don’t even have a problem with LeBron confronting Stephen A. Smith – any father would. Where I feel LeBron lost the court of public opinion is how he continues to keep putting fuel on the fire.
Stephen A. Smith popped up on Gilbert Arenas’ podcast, his own YouTube show as well as First Take to continue stoking the flames in the aftermath of the confrontation and instead of ignoring Smith’s grandiose bluster, LeBron decided to get his petty on and fire back.
Going on Pat McAfee’s show on ESPN was the wrong play. It breathed life into a situation that didn’t need it and ultimately gave Smith & ESPN what they wanted – more visibility. At a time where athletes are screaming about being a part of the “new media” and crafting their own story, James going on ESPN allowed the narrative to be taken away from him. It was a petty move… and an unnecessary one.
Stephen A. Smith’s antics and his tendencies to be loud & wrong have been well documented. He’s in the business of generating headlines. He has done that with this beef with LeBron James. Smith looks and acts like scorned ex-girlfriend but at the same time this is the business he is in. It’s a part of his profession. For LeBron James to react like a petulant child speaks to him and his team losing the PR battle in this beef.
This beef won’t die down as long as LeBron continues to breath life into it. Sometimes it’s better to walk away. In the words of the poet Shawn Corey Carter, “A wise man told me don’t argue with fools
’cause people from a distance can’t tell who is who.”
The Try Hard Bulls Are Back?
When the Bulls traded Zach LaVine on February 3, the belief for many was the season was finished, the Bulls would fall out of the play-in and be in the lottery. Their record was 21-29 and they were barely hanging on to the 10th seed in the Eastern Conference. Coming out of the trade the Bulls went 1-6 and seemed on their to falling out of the play-in and then a funny thing happened – the Bulls pretty much forgot they were supposed to be tanking.
The Bulls have won 11 of their last 16 games, taken hold of the 9th seed and in that stretch they’ve taken the Clippers, Suns and Rockets to the limit while beating the Nuggets, Pacers and sweeping the Lakers. In beating the Lakers twice in 10 days, the Bulls blew the Lakers out in Los Angeles and then won a wild game just two nights ago on a Josh Giddey buzzer-beater:
BULLS WIN ON AN ELECTRIFYING SEQUENCE ⚡️
— NBA (@NBA) March 28, 2025
Patrick Williams triple with 10.3 seconds left.
Coby White for the lead with 6.1 seconds left.
Austin Reaves takes the lead back with 3.3 to go.
Josh Giddey hits the #TissotBuzzerBeater.
CLUTCH BASKETBALL AT ITS FINEST! pic.twitter.com/fPwP3IiVM1
Also during this 16-game span:
The Bulls’ resurgence during the month of March has been led by Coby White & Josh Giddey. Coby White is averaging 29.5 PPG, 37.3 3PT% in March while getting Player of the Week twice. Josh Giddey is averaging 22.5 PPG, 10.0 RPG, 9.5 APG, 41.2 3PT% as well. They’re also getting contributions from Patrick Williams, Kevin Huerter and Matas Buzelis all while Nikola Vuvecic and Lonzo Ball have nursed injuries.
I don’t know what to make of this. Clearly the Bulls are nowhere close to being championship material but with 9 games left(including tonight’s game against the Mavericks) the Bulls appear to be headed once again to the play-in. Will Bulls VP Arturas Karnisovas be convinced to stand pat in the offseason or will he take a serious look at the composition of this team and truly rebuild?
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