Last night, when the Lakers got their eighth-straight win, one would have thought everything would be merry on the LA side. But, we’ve all witnessed a visual of something that nobody would’ve imagined. Lebron James unleashed his anger on Stephen A. Smith right after the overtime thriller against the New York Knicks – an exchange that quickly became the biggest talking point.

A viral video from the game showed James visibly frustrated as he engaged in a heated exchange with Smith, who stood listening, unfazed. As LeBron walked off, he appeared to say, “I don’t care, bro, keep my son out of this s—, bro.” Lip readers suggest this was a direct response to Smith’s continued critique of Bronny James, LeBron’s 20-year-old son, whose NBA journey has been heavily scrutinized.

For years, Smith has been one of LeBron’s harshest critics, debating his clutch performances and legacy. While he recently conceded LeBron’s GOAT status in terms of longevity, it appears he may have crossed a line with his commentary on his son, Bronny.

Bronny James: LeBron James’ breaking point 

The tension reportedly began a month ago when the Lakers suffered a tough 118-104 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers. Despite LeBron’s 31-point performance, the team struggled, and Bronny, who played only garbage minutes, finished with 0 points on 0-5 shooting. Smith used the moment to make a blunt assessment of the young guard’s readiness for the NBA.

It was enough for Stephen A. Smith to criticize the young lad. Following the game, the veteran went by his usual business, thrashing Bronny. A few days later, Smith dropped a video on his YouTube channel under the title ‘Bronny James is NOT READY. STOP forcing it. It was the first instance Smith revealed that he was confronted.

In the video, he said, “A couple of people texted me and pissed me — and they know who they are… People close to LeBron James talking to me about questioning him as a father. C’mon, y’all. I mean, it’s got to a point where this LeBron sensitivity is just beyond the pale.“ He further went on to rant a bit more about the duo, saying, “LeBron has forgotten more basketball than most people would know. So, no matter what we think about Bronny, he knows more. But you see what you see.”

Even as we thought that the controversy ended, James reignited it by confronting Smith face-to-face. NBA analyst Nick Wright suggests LeBron’s frustration stemmed from the way Smith had presented his argument, using Bronny’s struggles against the Sixers as a backdrop for his critique. Per Wright, the criticism felt less like objective analysis and more like a targeted attack. For LeBron, who has carefully guided his son’s basketball career, this might have been a step too far.

And if history is any indication, Stephen A. Smith won’t let this slide quietly. Known for his fiery responses, it’s likely he will address the confrontation in an upcoming segment of his show, possibly escalating the controversy further.

What are your thoughts about the whole controversy? Was it an “attack” by SAS on Bronny? Or just an analyst’s job? Let us know in the comments.