Stephen A. Smith was not having any of it after a fan suggested he had been “stroking” LeBron James.

Smith is definitely no fan of James, with feelings mutual. The ESPN host recently accused the Los Angeles Lakers forward of stat padding and has been bitter since LBJ confronted him during a game last season, so he was definitely not happy to hear someone claim he was “stroking” the 21-time All-Star.

Having taken a call on his ‘Stephen A. Smith Show’ this week, Smith was told as much and felt the need to step in and make a correction, screaming, “Hold it!” 

“I’m a man, don’t accuse me of stroking anybody… especially another dude,” he continued.

Fans React To Stephen A Smith’s Outburst

Stephen A Smith on his podcastStephen A Smith (Photo via YouTube)
Videos of the interaction went viral on social media.

“Do NOT accuse Stephen A. Smith of “stroking” LeBron James or anybody else,” Awful Announcing advised.

You can check the video out right below:

The outburst drew lots of reactions in the comments.

“Got a little defensive there – sounds like a guilty stroker to me,” a fan wrote.

“We saw that shoot around no one should accuse @stephenasmith of having a good stroke,” another claimed.

“This dude softer than a wet tissue 🤣🤣🤣,” someone laughed.

“Ur friends from It It What It Is are proud of you…. but next time don’t forget to say PAUSE,” one user advised.

“They always messing with him on these radio calls😂😂😂😂 #BrickMode,” someone else noted.


Stephen A. is likely to hear that word more often simply because of his reaction.

Meanwhile, ESPN has banned his colleagues from promoting the gaming app he’s been advertising lately, although he’s still free to market it if he wants.

One of them has even apologized for their involvement.

Luka Doncic ‘destroys’ the Mavs on his return. Gets standing ovation and shows love to Mark Cuban

Luka Doncic hits 45 points in his first game in Dallas since being traded to the Los Angeles.

It’s rare for a home crowd to cheer the visiting team, but Luka Doncic’s return to Dallas was no ordinary night.

Just days before February’s trade deadline, the Mavericks shocked the NBA by sending their 26-year-old superstar to the Lakers—a move that outraged fans and sparked backlash toward GM Nico Harrison.

On Wednesday, Doncic played his first game back in Dallas since the trade. The arena was filled with fans in both his old Mavs and new Lakers jerseys, many chanting “Fire Nico” in protest.

Despite the emotion in the air, Doncic delivered a dominant performance, scoring a game-high 45 points to lead the Lakers to a 112-97 win. It was a powerful return for one of the league’s brightest stars—and a night Dallas won’t soon forget

The Mavericks pay tribute to Luka Dončić

While the Mavericks’ decision to trade Luka Doncic remains heavily criticized, they handled his return to Dallas with undeniable grace. The organization made sure his first game back as a Laker was met with respect and appreciation.

Every seat in the arena was draped with a T-shirt reading “Hvala za vse,” which translates from Slovenian to “thank you for everything.” It was a thoughtful nod to Doncic’s heritage and impact on the franchise.

Before tip-off, during the starting lineup announcements, the Mavericks played a tribute video showcasing some of Doncic’s most iconic moments in a Dallas jersey. The emotional gesture clearly resonated—moving Doncic to tears in front of the crowd that once called him their own.

Luka Doncic ‘DESTROYS’ his old team

Luka delivered a dazzling performance against his former team, putting up 45 points on 16-of-28 shooting, including 7-of-10 from beyond the arc. He also added 8 rebounds, 6 assists, and 4 steals in a game that showed exactly why he’s one of the best in the league.


From the opening tip, Doncic was locked in. By halftime, Doncic had racked up 31 points on 11-of-16 shooting in just 19 minutes—marking the 10th time in his career he’s scored 30 or more in a single half.

Though his scoring slowed in the second half, he continued to lead effectively, securing both a Lakers win and an unforgettable showing for the fans in Dallas.