Nick Wright Calls Out Stephen A. Smith's Over Reaction to LeBron James Incident

Stephen Douglas | Mar 13, 2025

Stephen A. Smith attended a Lakers game on March 6 and the world would never be the same. / Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

The fallout from LeBron James's brief sideline confrontation with Stephen A. Smith continued on Friday as Smith was asked about it during an appearance on FOX News, while other media members continued to chime in on the week-old news.

FS1's Nick Wright appeared on The Right Time With Bomani Jones and pointed out how Smith had mishandled the situation, while pointing out that this is what Smith had always wanted athletes to do.

Nick Wright had to hold Stephen A. accountable after his confrontation with LeBron:

“Stephen A. has been on the record for years ‘I’m at the games, anyone can come talk to me if they have a problem with what I say.” pic.twitter.com/7SbOydmXiG

— The Right Time with Bomani Jones (@righttimebomani) March 12, 2025

"He is so wrong on this," Wright said. "The conversations surrounding this is so incorrect on the facts. LeBron James did not check Stephen A. about Stephen A. criticizing Bronny James the basketball player. LeBron James checked Stephen A. about Stephen A. criticizing LeBron James the father. Stephen A. has also been on the record for years. I'm at the games. Anyone can come talk to me if they have a problem with what I say. So LeBron, first opportunity he got, talked to him, said it, and then went on and played."

In addition to Smith saying he wanted players to talk to him, there is also this clip from the end of January.

"You know I was on First Take, my day job on ESPN earlier this morning and I spoke about this and I felt the need to elaborate even further because a couple of people text me and pissed me off and they know who they are," said Smith. "People close to LeBron James talking to me about questioning him as a father. Come on, ya'll. I mean it's gotten to a point where this LeBron sensitivity is just beyond the pale."

So here, on January 29th episode of his podcast, he said that LeBron's people had reached out to him behind the scenes, which "pissed [him] off" and he knew that LeBron was upset about him questioning him as a father. Somehow, a month later these things both seemed to escape Smith both in the moment and then as he went on First Take, his podcast, Gil's Arena and Fox News.

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