Stephen A. Smith and LeBron James (Photo by Imagn Images)

During the last NBA season, a heated moment occurred between ESPN analyst Stephen A. Smith and Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James. After receiving multiple criticisms about himself and his son, James confronted Smith directly on the court, and the video of this incident quickly went viral.

After the altercation, Smith reflected on the situation multiple times. In an interview, he expressed his feelings about whether he would never, ever speak to James again. Now, with the 2025-26 NBA season set to begin in just a few days, Smith has returned with more criticism of James. He recently appeared on The Pivot Podcast, where he reignited their rivalry by making a blistering remark about James.

“You don’t like me because you see me calling it like I see it. You’re not Michael Jordan. You’re not the GOAT. You did choke in an NBA Finals. Four consecutive fourth quarters in an NBA Finals, this man was scoring four points. One game, he scored zero points in an NBA Finals fourth quarter. With Jason Terry or JJ Barea guarding you. There is no explanation for that. To anybody who knows basketball, that’s a choke job,” Smith said.

James led the Miami Heat to the NBA Finals against the Dallas Mavericks during the 2010-11 NBA season. However, he faced major criticism after the Heat fell short against the Mavericks. Fans pointed out that James averaged only three points in the fourth quarters of the series and scored just eight points in Game 4, which Miami lost by a narrow margin of three points. Smith reflected on this series and remarked that James choked in the Finals.

Kevin Durant Surpassed LeBron James In A Jaw-Dropping Feat

Kevin Durant and LeBron James (Photo By Imagn Images)
Recently, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported that Kevin Durant was eligible for a max extension worth $120 million. As a result of this choice, Durant has now surpassed LeBron James in career earnings.

“Kevin Durant now holds the record for the highest career earnings in NBA history at $598.2 million based on current and future salaries, surpassing LeBron James ($583.9 million). He has a total of three years and $144.7 million on his current contract,” Charania wrote in his recent post on X (formerly Twitter).

James is currently sidelined due to sciatica affecting his right side. The Lakers will play their next game against the Golden State Warriors on opening night.