A huge wave of controversy has just erupted in the American sports world when Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James suddenly spoke out harshly criticizing famous commentator Stephen A. Smith. According to inside sources, LeBron believes that Stephen A. is showing “clear double standards” when talking about athletes of color, while “going easy” on other figures, especially Alexis Ohanian – husband of tennis legend Serena Williams.
It all started from a recent broadcast of the program “First Take”, when Stephen A. Smith commented on some NBA stars being “undisciplined and arrogant”. LeBron, who is often the center of such comments, is said to have “ignited” after watching the broadcast. In a lengthy post on social network X (old Twitter), he wrote:
“It’s interesting to see someone who talks about ‘black athlete responsibility’ not saying anything when others make mistakes. If Kyrie or I make a mistake, they call it ‘disrespectful’. But when Alexis Ohanian does the same thing, they describe it as ‘passionate and creative’. Two standards, one spokesperson.”
This status immediately caused an explosion on the internet community. Millions of shares and thousands of comments divided the argument: one side supported LeBron for “daring to say what others are afraid to say”, while the other side said he was “misreading” and exaggerating the incident.
Stephen A. Smith has not yet given an official response, but a source close to him revealed that he was “very unhappy” and felt offended. “Stephen A. believes he is just doing his job as an analyst – telling the truth, no matter who gets hurt. But LeBron mentioning Alexis Ohanian makes it all the more personal.”
Meanwhile, many in the media believe this is just the tip of a much deeper iceberg. A veteran sportswriter at Sports Tribune commented: “LeBron and Stephen A. have been at loggerheads for years. Smith once criticized LeBron for ‘corrupting the youth,’ and LeBron felt he was targeting black athletes. This blowup was inevitable.”
On forums, fans also began re-sharing a series of old videos of Stephen A., in which he is said to be “defending” Alexis Ohanian in a controversy over athlete investment rights. “LeBron is right,” one comment went viral, “if Stephen A. is really fair, keep the same energy with everyone – not just LeBron James.”
Currently, LeBron has not made any moves to calm down or explain further, while the American media is “eagerly” waiting to see how Stephen A. will respond in the upcoming broadcast.
One thing is for sure: the relationship between the two leading black icons in American sports is on the verge of a public rift – and fans cannot take their eyes off this “war of the century”.
