Did the GOAT debate ever fade away? Not a chance. It’s still a heated battle between two basketball icons—LeBron James and Michael Jordan. The fans and analysts keep the fire burning because neither of the two players seems eager to claim the crown. And when it comes to loyalty, ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith stands firm. For him, the Akron Hammer doesn’t hold a candle to his beloved MJ—especially after LeBron’s latest comments on Anthony Edwards’ public denial. Safe to say, SAS isn’t loving the truth.

But Gilbert Arenas? He came prepared. On Friday’s First Take, Arenas, Smith, and Brian Windhorst broke down LeBron’s take on Edwards refusing to be the league’s face. After 20 years on top, LeBron calls the pedestal nothing but “weird energy.” And with a pointed jab, he blamed the media for tearing down greats in the name of comparisons. The big question is: Is LeBron James wrong?

Gilbert Arenas had the answers to shut Stephen A. Smith’s frustration over LeBron James

“He was wrong. He was wrong about some things. Yes,” Stephen A. Smith replied to Brian Windhorst’s question. “I’m from the era where when you introduced a superstar or the stars of the league, it was all positive. I’m 42, right?” Gilbert Arenas continued after this talking about the ’92 Olympics dream team and the era of Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Hakeem Olajuwon, and others. “You didn’t talk about the negative parts of their game to tell them why they’re not number one,” Gilbert sharply commented aiming at Stephen A. Smith’s rant.

Moreover, LeBron James being the No.2 on Team USA seems like a troubling fact for SAS. He notes that he was No.2 because he wasn’t Michael Jordan! “When you talk about it, is it wrong or you’re doing something wrong with LeBron being number two? No, but you’re telling him he’s number two because of these flaws. You don’t need it…He’s not Michael Jordan, but he’s LeBron James. So treat him like he’s LeBron James, which is why you can’t be the juror and the judge,” Arena continued defending Bron before Smith.

Gilbert Arenas further fired back at Stephen A. Smith, calling out the double standards around LeBron James. He argued that people didn’t measure Michael Jordan by six rings while he was playing—he earned them later. Now, players chase rings to match that legacy, sacrificing personal accolades. Yet, critics still dismiss them for lacking individual awards. It’s a no-win game, and Arenas isn’t buying it.

“So he [LeBron James] gets penalized there because he doesn’t have these accolades. Then what ends up happening is if you have a player that’s saying, okay, let me get these scoring titles. Oh, you’re selfish. Yeah,” Gilbert Arenas continued firing at Smith. He mocked the ever-changing narratives, saying, “That’s pointless stats, meaningless stats,” while accusing critics of creating rules only to judge players by them. With a sharp twist, he added, “You got a little dirt on your game and you can be the Messiah.”

Now, you might be wondering why so much is being said and done around LeBron James. And why is Michael Jordan being dragged into this? Well, Stephen A. Smith loves bringing his dear friend into his conversations about Bron. So, here we are. But then what did SAS say that triggered this cold fury from Gilbert Arenas?

Stephen A. Smith’s angry ranting on LeBron James’ media point of view

Simply put, LeBron James understands why Anthony Edwards chose to steer clear of the role of the face of the league. He called out the harsh critics, questioning their true intentions. He highlighted the strange reality where players get praised yet torn down at the same time. “I mean, it’s unfortunate but like why do you want to be the face of the league when all the people that cover our game and talk about our game on a day-to-day basis s— on everybody?” LeBron said.

And well, Stephen A. Smith didn’t enjoy the Akron Hammer’s honesty. To some extent, SAS felt Bron’s was hitting the nail on him. So, Smith didn’t hold back, calling it “straight BS.” He took it further, blaming LeBron for ruining the dunk contest and the 2025 All-Star game by announcing his injury just an hour before the show. He also criticized, saying: “No matter what we say about these players there’s always something for them to complain about.”

Stephen A. Smith told Gilbert Arenas and Brian Windhorst that no one loves the NBA more than he does. While he often praises LeBron for growing the league, he isn’t backing him on his recent comments. “To sit up there and why well why would you want to sit up there and be the face of the league when everybody’s talking bleep about you all the damn time. I’m sick and tired of them acting like everybody’s talking bleep about them all the damn time. I don’t know if you noticed Gilbert, but LeBron James is hating on me to say that he is the second-greatest player in the history of the sport.”

Hence all the conversations about No.2 and so on. The LeBron vs. MJ debate isn’t fading—it’s only getting louder. While Stephen A. Smith defends his loyalty to Jordan, Gilbert Arenas isn’t buying the double standards. LeBron’s honesty about Anthony Edwards avoiding the league’s spotlight struck a nerve, but Arenas made one thing clear—critics can’t have it both ways. And for now, the battle rages on.