Stephen A. Smith and LeBron James have not exactly been friendly. Smith acknowledged as much on a podcast in February, admitting that the two do not like each other.
None of that stopped him from defending the NBA star. He criticized Donald Trump after the president referred to James as “maybe” being a racist.
Smith put aside differences with LeBron to criticize Trump after the “racist” comment
The veteran ESPN anchor took it up on his digital show Straight Shooter. He called the president’s comments “trifling” and argued that the accusation crossed a line no critic should cross.
“Our president is trifling,” Smith said. “When you’re calling LeBron James a racist, you know what? You know, it’s really getting ridiculous. The divisiveness, the way that this man acts, the things that he says, it’s really, really disgusting.”
The exchange began after Trump was asked who deserves the “Greatest of All Time” title, James or Michael Jordan. Trump praised Jordan, whom he described as a friend, before turning his attention to James. “Michael Jordan’s a guy that’s a friend of mine… And I think LeBron is- maybe he’s a racist, but maybe he doesn’t like Trump. I don’t know,” he said.
The remark came shortly after James, 41, announced he was leaving the Los Angeles Lakers for the Philadelphia 76ers. Smith said he viewed the comment as strategic rather than sincere. He called it “the latest salvo” thrown “ultimately to distract from the [job] that he’s doing,” and said people should recognize it for what it is.
“We gotta call it out for what it is,” he said. Smith argued that anyone can criticize James’ performance on the court, but said labeling him a racist was different. The exchange adds to a rivalry that has stretched back for nearly a decade. James has criticized Trump for years, once calling him a “bum” and saying he had no regrets.
James has also said Trump’s rhetoric gave people “an opportunity to be out” with negative racism. Supporters of the MAGA movement have long rejected those criticisms as partisan.
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