There has been such a contentious relationship between the NBA players and the media in recent years. With LeBron James and Stephen A. Smith being poster children, respectively, we have turned a page in the overall saga. It was the confrontation heard around the basketball world. James decided to confront Smith several weeks ago at a game in Los Angeles. It was the third quarter, and James deemed it necessary at that moment to air grievances with Smith.

Many times, when players gripe with the media, they mention that those same members wouldn’t say anything to their faces. Also, many NBA players hold the sentiment that they would publicly criticize certain media folks, yet seldom do. James decided he wasn’t going to do that, as he took umbrage with Smith’s comments.

Now, what was it that Stephen A. Smith said that really grinded LeBron James’ gears?

If you ask me, this whole issue is clearly about the battle it has been for players to be able to “control” their own narratives. There’s an inherent feeling that if players controlled their own narratives, we as consumers would be getting the truth. I don’t think those entities are symbiotic.

We’re left with a grand case of what he said/he said, in which both sides claim that their points are true. Recently, James went on the Pat McAffe show to give an in-person interview for over an hour. This is a rarity for James since launching his own production companies. He sort of moves like the larger-than-life celebrities now do. Beyoncé doesn’t give interviews that often, especially not in a long-form capacity, so McAffe really scored a coup with this opportunity.

But as soon as Molly Querim announced on First Take that the following day, James would be on with McAffe, I saw the play. To me, going on a show that comes on right after First Take was a clear FU to Smith. The show was punctuated by James’ comments about Smith and shrapnel aimed at Akron’s own Brian Windhorst. Windhorst, an astute commentator at ESPN, has also covered James since his days in high school.

LeBron James’ appearance on Pat McAfee’s show was the impetus for Stephen A Smith going off

He came to defend his industry and his right to have an opinion. As Smith sees it, James’ real gripe is that he doesn’t view James as the greatest basketball player ever. He surmises that James is using other reasoning to cover up what he feels to be true.

I can’t call it from my end. I’m not privy to what these guys’ actual sentiments are if they are different from what they’ve expressed. However, I do think James has overreacted. In the context of Smith pleading with LeBron “as a father,” I think this was an overreaction. However, if we’re to contextualize simply not enjoying Smith’s style of criticism for years, and this being a boiling point, then I understand. If this is all about general media fatigue, I understand. I still find it to be an overreaction.

What happened to direct conversation?

I think that would solve a lot. But at the base of it all, respect must remain paramount. If that doesn’t exist, then resolution can’t exist. Do these parties care about getting it right? Maybe not. It’ll require some humility, possibly on both sides. But this does show how expansive our egos can be and all the dimensions they can manifest in.

I hope that this can all be squashed one day. I would much rather see more examples of Black togetherness among our most affluent. We need that sort of unity in a social climate like this. Of course, as I like to say, “if wishes were fishes, the world would be an ocean.” That’s a long-winded way of saying it’s wishful thinking. So, as it goes, the saga continues.