Move over, Drake and Kendrick Lamar, it looks like it's the NBA's turn to have a big feud. We've seen a lot of back-and-forth between Stephen A. Smith and LeBron James since their on-court confrontation in early March, and it continues to pull in other people. After Richard Jefferson got in the mix, the situation escalated drastically to the point that NBA commissioner Adam Silver is now discussing it.
The head of the NBA is now fielding questions about a feud between an ESPN pundit and one of its greatest stars of all time after Stephen A. Smith's latest response went viral and talked about Kobe Bryant's death, as well as LeBron's former teammate, Dwyane Wade.
Stephen A. Smith's Response To LeBron James Included References To Kobe Bryant's Death And Dwyane Wade
I don't think anyone expected Stephen A. Smith to keep quiet after LeBron James appeared on The Pat McAfee Show and took shots at him. What was surprising was what Smith said in response and how he brought other players into the conversation.
Here's just a snippet from his long rant on ESPN's First Take in which he talked about James allegedly skipping Kobe Bryant's funeral and Dwyane Wade's Hall of Fame induction ceremony:
I suggest that he be happy with the things that I haven't brought up. I never brought up, really, and never really discussed, why you were not at Kobe Bryant's memorial service. I never really brought up or discussed why you did not attend Dwyane Wade's Hall of Fame induction when that man was directly responsible for you capturing a championship for the first time in your career.
These two particular comments drew a heavy reaction from the sports world, who added context to the situation. Multiple outlets reported at the time that LeBron James was in attendance at Kobe Bryant's Memorial service, despite no photos of the athlete.
Additionally, James missed Wade's HOF induction as it occurred two weeks after his son Bronny James suffered cardiac arrest, and Stephen A. Smith would probably know that because he was one of the many who offered condolences to the athlete after it happened.
This was all part of a long response that hit on everything from calling LeBron James a liar to claiming this is all tied to Michael Jordan. Stephen A. Smith closed by noting that his position at ESPN is secure, saying he signed a 5-year $100 million contract with the network. Hell, we might even see him team up with Charles Barkley next season when Inside The NBA joins ESPN, so I don't think his job is on the line for this.
However, the NBA commissioner, Adam Silver, is now getting in on this conversation.
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver Shared His Thoughts On The Feud
After quite a personal attack, it was inevitable that the media would turn to NBA commissioner Adam Silver to get his take on the situation. Silver conceded he didn't know all the details of what was said, but wasn't a fan of what he's heard thus far (via @BrettSiegel):
I received several texts that said, 'Are you watching this?' (during the meeting). ... We are a particular sport in which that kind of debate seems to be a part of this league. In terms of that back-and-forth, I haven't had a chance to watch or read what happened today. When it becomes very personal between a media member and a player, it's not something I want to see as the commissioner of this league.
While I assume Adam Silver isn't worried about this escalating to a point where LeBron James is dissing Stephen A. Smith during the Super Bowl halftime show, he made it clear this kind of feud is not something he wants to see. Smith is poking the bear here, and with incredibly personal attacks in this latest round, it seems possible that James will respond.
Stephen A. Smith appears on First Take on ESPN on weekdays at 10:00 a.m. ET. It's possible there might be more drama between him and LeBron James as the latter prepares for the NBA postseason, but we'll just have to wait and see.
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