LeBron Says Stephen A. Smith Gets Excited in His Underwear When the King Talks About Him

On March 26, 2025, LeBron James, the Los Angeles Lakers’ iconic forward and NBA all-time leading scorer, made a rare long-form appearance on The Pat McAfee Show. The interview, clocking in at an impressive hour and 15 minutes, aired at 12:05 PM ET on ESPN and YouTube, covering “damn near everything,” as host Pat McAfee enthusiastically put it. This sit-down came just weeks after a highly publicized courtside confrontation between LeBron and ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith, sparking speculation about the timing and intent behind James’ decision to join McAfee—Smith’s network rival. While LeBron didn’t directly address his thoughts on Smith during the show, the context of their feud and his choice of platform spoke volumes.

The backstory is juicy. On March 6, during a Lakers-Knicks game at Crypto.com Arena, LeBron approached Smith courtside, visibly upset. Lip-readers caught him saying, “Keep my son out of this s***, bro,” a reaction to Smith’s repeated critiques of Bronny James, LeBron’s son and Lakers teammate. Smith had argued on First Take that Bronny, who’s been splitting time between the NBA and G League, wasn’t ready for the big leagues and was only there due to his father’s influence. “I’m pleading with LeBron James as a father: Stop this,” Smith had said, igniting a firestorm. LeBron, fiercely protective, didn’t take kindly to it, and their public dust-up went viral.

Fast forward to this week, and LeBron’s decision to grant McAfee—a former NFL punter turned media maverick—an extensive interview raised eyebrows. McAfee’s show, known for its laid-back vibe and unfiltered takes, directly follows First Take on ESPN’s schedule, and the two hosts have a complicated history. Reports of a heated argument between McAfee and Smith over creative differences surfaced in 2024, with McAfee allegedly calling Smith a “motherf***er” (a claim both later downplayed). Fans on X quickly framed LeBron’s appearance as a “direct shot” at Smith, with one user noting, “Pat McAfee is Stephen A. Smith’s number 1 enemy at ESPN. This is directed at Stephen A.”

So, what did LeBron say about Smith on the show? Directly, nothing. McAfee teased a wide-ranging chat, but early clips suggest LeBron focused on basketball, his Lakers season, and perhaps lighter topics—not a point-by-point rebuttal of Smith. Yet, the absence of explicit commentary doesn’t mean the feud wasn’t on his mind. In a leaked clip from March 8, LeBron told ESPN’s Richard Jefferson, “Once he talks about, ‘I’m pleading you as a father,’ I can’t,” hinting at his lingering frustration with Smith’s framing. His agent, Rich Paul, echoed this on McAfee’s show earlier this month, saying, “We’ve moved on,” but acknowledging the personal sting of such critiques.

LeBron’s choice of McAfee over, say, a First Take sit-down (which Smith jokingly said would never happen) feels strategic. It’s a flex of his media savvy—sidestepping Smith’s domain while amplifying his voice through a rival platform. Whether it’s trolling or just good timing, LeBron’s McAfee Show appearance underscores his knack for controlling the narrative, leaving fans to read between the lines.

Flip the pages to see LeBron saying Stephen A. gets excited in his underwear when he talks about and the Twitter reaction to that.

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