It is said that sometimes the best defense is a crime. Leberron James took this approach on Thursday night when Stephen A. Smith Cortiside in the Lakers game and reprimanded him, and told him unconfirmed phrases to stop talking about Brunei James, son of Lebron and his teammate.
Smith, who agreed to a five -year contract worth $ 100 million to continue his long career with ESPN, responded on Friday morning by opening “first take” with a wrong explanation for the reason for Liberation James annoyed with him.
First, James’s topic confirmed.
Smith said: “This was Liberon James that would come to me, unexpectedly, to have been added, to confront me about making sure that I am preventing what I say about his son.” “I can’t repeat words because they are not suitable for FCC.”
Smith asked about the reason James chose to confront him in a game in Arena Crypto.com, where the Lakers team defeated New York Nix in additional time, instead through a phone call or face to face. He said he admitted that James did not speak not “the star of the star’s basketball player”, but as “my father.”
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But the central point of Smith was that his previous criticism was directed to Liberon, not Brunei, saying: “I was talking about this situation [Bronny] He was placed by his father. “
Before Brunei’s formulation in June by Lakers, Leberron explained that he wanted his son to be his teammate, and Smith was among the many journalists who believed that the federation was forced into unjustified pressure on the 19 -year -old, as her only experience exceeding high school was 25 games as a role player at the University of Southern California.
She tweets from Liberon in February 2022: “If you want me, Brunei’s evening. Wherever Brune is where I will be. I will do everything it takes with my son for one year. It is not about money at that point.”
Tweet from Liberon in March 2023: “Brunei is definitely better than some of these cats that I was watching in League Pass today.”
Brunei did not express the same enthusiasm, saying in the American Professional League Scouts a month before the draft, “My dream has always been my name, and made a name for myself, of course, as you know, reach the American Professional League. … I never thought of playing with my father, but of course, I put it several times.”
Read more: Liberon James a month after Brunei said he can play with Lakers now: “Let the child be a child”
Smith reformulated his reaction to LeBron’s efforts to make sure that Brunei was formulated so that they could play together, saying: “O man, this is the situation you put in it.” This is where you were coming. “
The column writer at the Times Bill Plastiche expressed similar concerns, as he wrote on the day when Lakers Brunei made the second round: “Does Brunei really need this type of pressure? Is it really fair to ask him to develop his game while sitting on the same seat as the greatest player in the history that coincides with his father?”
The moment Liberation expected a long time ago in the opening match in Lakers, October 22, when Brunei entered the game in the second quarter. They played less than three minutes together, as Brunei lost his first two -shots in the American Professional League, but they became the first two -year -old and the son to play the American Professional League game together.
In 76 minutes over 18 games, Brunei scored 25 points, achieving 25.8 % of his shots. It was a better performance in seven league matches, with an average of 13.4 points, 3.4 rebound balls and 3.9 decisive passes while playing strong defense.
“I only have best wishes for Beroni James,” Smith said. “I hope to flourish in the American Professional League star.”
Read more: “Brunei should not play”: Liberon James is happy because he does the father’s “beautiful” duo
Smith, who was sitting in the game with the chief executive of the endeavor Ary Emmanuel and actor Larry David, said he realized that James was “very upset” and refused to respond in such a public place.
Smith said about James: “I and I do not necessarily run … … we do not see face to face.” “None of us lost sleep on him. It was so for years. It was as if he was saying,” Keep it between me and you. “
“As a father, I get it … … if I was in his position, I can’t categorically say that I wouldn’t have done the same. I don’t blame him a little.”
Smith concluded his comments by saying that while Liberon’s sympathy for his child, he stood alongside his criticism on the air.
Smith said: “What I was saying about Liberon depends on the facts because of what he said and the things he said lead to the formulation of his son and ultimately in the American Professional League in the same team like him.” “There is no way to overcome this. When he was raised as a professional journalist, you do not want enemies, but you did not pay to make friends. You must call them as you see.”
Read more: Charles Barclay “stupid” in ESPN, a home “within the American Professional League”, said Lakers saved the American Professional League. “
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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
