LeBron James-Stephen A. Smith controversy sparks again! The veteran analyst did all he could to douse the fire. He went on his podcast show and took an unusual route. Instead of addressing the confrontation with full-blown theatrics, Smith handled it with a gravelly tone. Not to forget the infamous line, “That wasn’t a basketball player confronting me,” and highlighted that Bron spoke to him as the father of Bronny James. Well, that didn’t seem to sit well with Bron!

Last night, we thought it was all about the Lakers–Celtics historic rivalry. Looks like the Akron Hammer had time for a bit of banter. Linking up with his former teammate and best buddy, Richard Jefferson, on the court, James expressed his reaction to SAS’s dramatic monologue.

During the pre-game shoot-around at the TD Garden, Jefferson reached out to LeBron James on the court and engaged in an animated conversation. Of course, it grabbed the camera’s attention, and here we have the superstar’s reaction to SAS’s rhetoric on his son. In the video circulating on the internet, Bron can be seen saying, “Once he talks about, ‘I’m pleading you as a father,’ I can’t… that’s the only thing I’m tripping.”

LeBron James certainly didn’t like the way A. Smith turned the confrontation into a father’s outcry. However, on the contrary, Bron was the one who said, “Stop F-ing with my son. That’s my f-ing son,” in the initial leaked audio. Nevertheless, we will only have further developments in the issue if the veteran analyst decides to react to Bron’s conversation with Jefferson. Until then, it’s pretty sealed up.

In the meantime, Bronny James has a lot to prove for himself. It all began with his embarrassing 0-5 FG outing against the 76ers in a blowout game. Since then, he has stepped on the court multiple times, filling in the garbage minutes. It’s not enough.

Amid LeBron James’ fatherly act, Bronny has a lot to prove

It’s indeed a distressing time for the James family. On one end, the 20-year-old’s basketball reputation has gone for a toss. On the other end, Bron has sustained a groin injury and would miss at least 1-to-2 weeks. 

This isn’t a new hurdle for Bronny James. Ever since he stepped on a basketball court, the blinding lights have always attempted to bring him down. Right from his high school to the NBA court. It’s hard to live up to his father’s legacy. Well, not to forget the nepotism arguments. Well, he has overcome all of those. 

In the last few weeks, James Jr. has shown promising signs on the G-League court with multiple game-winning performances. Moreover, right after the SAS-Bron drama, the former USC guard responded, but with his performance. Facing the Motor City Cruise, Bronny put up 16 points, 5 rebounds, 6 assists, and a steal to guide the South Bay Lakers to a 121-103 win.

Is it a start for something new? Should JJ Redick give him an opportunity while the fire is still burning? Let us know in the comments.