Dave Portnoy called out Stephen A. Smith on Friday for using the “kid glove treatment” on LeBron James after the Lakers superstar confronted the ESPN personality Thursday at the conclusion of the team’s 113-109 home win over the Knicks.
In a lengthy video posted to X, the Barstool Sports founder weighed in on the viral moment when the James appeared to tell Smith to keep son Bronny James’ name out of his mouth, as well as the “First Take” star’s assessment of the incident Friday morning, with Smith noting the exchange was coming from a “parent” and not an NBA superstar.
“This is one of the most ridiculous controversies in the history of civilization,” Portnoy said in the video. “LeBron doesn’t want Stephen A. or the people or the media talking about Bronny, who is a professional basketball player on one of the most storied franchises in the league. … What are we talking about here?”
“To go up to Stephen A. and say ‘Hey, you can’t talk about my kid,’ and then Stephen A. with kid gloves today on ‘First Take.’ If that’s anyone else he’s ripping this guy apart. … He’s a professional player. … What do you expect?
“… Stephen A., you’re better. I thought he was going to come out swinging and I get it, there’s a lot of pressure, you have connections and friends. But kid gloves today on ‘First Take.’ If that’s anybody else that came up to Stephen A. and is like, ‘Hey, don’t talk about my kid,’ but he’s like, that’s a father talking to me, his kid is in the NBA. You can’t talk about a kid in the NBA? Oh, this is disgusting.”
Footage of James’ tense exchange with Smith made the rounds on social media following Thursday’s game in Los Angeles, with Smith stating Friday on “First Take” he had no plans to address the matter but altered course when the clip went viral.
A. Smith went viral in March 2025. X
by the Lakers last summer. NBAE via Getty Images
“That was LeBron James coming up to me, unexpectedly, I might add, to confront me about making sure I mind what I say about his son,” Smith said.
“… That wasn’t a basketball player confronting me, that was a parent, that was a father. I can’t sit here and be angry or feel slighted by LeBron James in that regard. By all accounts, he’s obviously a wonderful family man and father who cares very, very deeply about his son, and based on some of the comments he had heard or shall I say I think he thought he heard, clearly took exception to some of the things he heard me say, and he confronted me about it.”
Smith, who recently agreed to a $100 million deal to remain at ESPN, offered a level response Friday instead of one of his more boisterous takes.
January 2025. ZUMAPRESS.com / MEGA
And while Smith’s response caught Portnoy off guard, both media personalities agreed the catalyst of it all is James, not Bronny, who has struggled at the pro level since being drafted in the second round by the Lakers last year.
“He’s in a big boy league playing against big boy players and he stinks,” Portnoy said of the 20-year-old Lakers rookie. “And LeBron doesn’t want the media to talk about it? He’s going to go up to people and get in their face? What are we doing here?”
Portnoy said his “heart aches” for Bronny and lambasted James for putting his son “in this situation.”
“If you don’t want the media talking about how your son is overmatched and it looks like a Make-A-Wish. … To put him in this situation, it’s that ego on LeBron Sr.”
James and Bronny made NBA history in October when they became the first father-son duo to play together.
Bronny has since played in 18 games for the Lakers, averaging 1.4 points, 0.4 rebounds and 0.4 assists in 4.2 minutes.
The Lakers have won eight straight games and are currently second in the Western Conference at 40-21.