Stephen A. Smith never has been hesitant to make boisterous claims, even when it comes to sports’ biggest stars.
Smith’s latest enigmatic report came in wake of news that Kyrie Irving requested to be traded from the Cleveland Cavaliers. According to Smith, LeBron James was so taken aback by the star guard’s desires that he would be tempted to “beat Irving’s ass” if the two crossed paths.
The report was a bit of a head-scratcher from the jump, and James put it to rest by calling out Smith for not having all of the facts.
But in typical fashion, the ESPN analyst was not going to go down quietly after his credibility was questioned. Smith appeared on “SportsCenter” on Wednesday to defend himself and clarify how the report should have been received.
“That’s what was told to me,” Smith said. “I did not speculate. I did not put that out there. That’s what was told to me.
“… Now in defense of LeBron James, let’s walk this back a little bit because people have gotten besides themselves. LeBron James has always exercised class, LeBron James has always exercised professionalism … He’s not going to hit Kyrie. He’s not going to get in a fight with Kyrie. It wasn’t meant to be taken literally.”
While it’s highly unlikely James and Irving resort to a physical confrontation, it sure seems like the relationship between the two Cavs stars isn’t all fine and dandy.
Thumbnail photo via Tim Fuller/USA TODAY Sports Images
