Stephen A. Smith found himself in the crosshairs of social media after his rather lukewarm reaction to James Lebron’ handshake at the Crypto.com Arena on Saturday. THE ESPN analyst, with colleagues Malika Andrews, Kendrick PerkinsAnd Bob Myerswas welcomed by the Lakers star before a match where James He was only nine points short of reaching 40,000 career points.
While James warmly acknowledged the analysts, that of Smith the reaction appeared nervous, leading fans to criticize him online. A fan called him “coward,” suggesting that that of Smith the reaction was far from enthusiastic.
The incident occurred after Black-smith had already criticized James for drawing attention to his son, Bronnyfollowing a few mock drafts that didn’t include his name.
that of Smith a blunt statement on the matter sparked controversy, and fans speculated that her subdued reaction to meeting James was a result of that tension.
Smith was rather shy around James
During the game, like James approached the analysts while they were on air, Perkins and the others showed enthusiasm, but that of Smith the attitude remained reserved. This has led to further speculation about possible historical tensions between Black-smith And James.
Black-smith hasn’t been shy about criticizing James in the past. He recently blamed the Lakers star of the decline of NBA Slam Dunk Contestindicating that James Lebron’ refusal to participate had a significant impact on the popularity of the event.
Black-smith also criticized James’ involvement in his son’s basketball career, suggesting that the attention Bronny received was due to the influence of his father.
Despite his controversial views, that of Smith his outspokenness made him a prominent figure in sports media. It remains to be seen if Black-smith And James will resolve their differences in the future.
