Smith and James have been feuding publicly since the four-time NBA champ confronted the “First Take” host face-to-face during a Lakers-Knicks game in Los Angeles last March.
the ESPN personality — whose feud with James has played out in the public eye — changed his tune on the NBA ’s all-time leading scorer and explained that “he has to be applauded” for how he’s playing. “I think it’s phenomenal.
I think there’s no way around it,” Smith said when asked about his take on “this version” of 41-year-old James. “And I think that he has to be applauded for the level of unselfishness. “Think about the storylines that have surrounded him. Is this his last time in a Laker uniform? The Lakers, with Luka Doncic, clearly having moved on — do they even want LeBron James? Should he want to be there? “What legitimacy is there to, you know, his championship aspirations if he stays in LA? Doesn’t he need to depart from Cleveland?Duke coach's surprising admission after holding off Siena in March Madness first round LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers reacts against the Miami Heat during the third quarter at Kaseya Center on March 19, 2026 in Miami, Florida.James helped bring a championship to Cleveland while with the Cavaliers in 2016, ending a 52-year championship drought in the city. Smith also commended James for playing complementary to the Lakers’ young guards, Austin Reaves and Doncic. “He has been an incredible contributor to their winning ways. He has stepped up when he needed to step up,” Smith continued. “… This is one of the guys on the Mount Rushmore of basketball, one of the top 5, 4 players in the history of basketball. Stephen A. Smith speaks onstage at day 2 of the 2025 HOPE Global Forum at Signia by Hilton Atlanta on December 2, 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia.“… All he does is go out there and not just play deferentially to Luka Doncic, he also does so to Austin Reaves … The unselfishness, the leadership you just can’t question it.Smith’s remarks this week came after James scored 30 points in 34 minutes of play in the Lakers’ 124-116 win over the Rockets in Houston on Wednesday night. James notched his second triple-double of the season on the second night of a back-to-back in LA’s 134-126 victory over the Heat on Thursday. "It sells papers a lot easier — and clippings and podcasts — if you say, 'LeBron, the team is better off without him.' A lot of people will try to like view it. So, I get it. … They're absolutely wrong." – LeBron after 49 pts on 21-for-26 FGs and going 2-0 in last 24 hoursHe finished with 19 points on 8-for-12 shooting, 15 rebounds and 10 assists in the win, which extended LA’s winning streak to eight.After the game, James reacted to putting up 49 points on 21-for-26 shooting against the Rockets and the Heat. “It sells papers a lot easier — and clippings and podcasts — if you say, ‘LeBron, the team is better off without him,'” James said. “A lot of people will try to like view it. So, I get it. … They’re absolutely wrong.”Ex-Giants QB details horrifying near-death experience filming 'The Bachelorette'NYU women's basketball's 91-game winning streak ends in Division III March Madness heartbreakerSt. John's star tells The Post about NBA dreams after 'dark moments' — and the March Madness 'noise' he wants to make Stream It Or Skip It: ‘Beauty in Black’ Season 2 Part 2 on Netflix, A Surprisingly Dull Continuation of the Tyler Perry Series
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