Being the biggest name in the sport, LeBron James remains in the mainstream over matters ranging from significant to most trivial. Whatever King James does on and off the field, makes headlines. Moreover, it turns out, James takes note of whatever the media says about him and does not take the criticism kindly. Following Thursday's game against the Timberwolves, the Lakers forward bashed the NBA media for spreading constant negativity.
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LeBron James's Blunt Message to NBA Media
Expressing thoughts on NBA media's focus towards crowning Anthony Edwards as the new face of the league, James hit out at analysts and questioned why anyone would want to hold that tag, as at the end of the day he would have to deal with the flak from the media.
“Why do you wanna be the face of the league when all the people that cover our game and talk about our game on a day-to-day basis shit on everybody?” James asked reporters Thursday night.
Stephen A. Smith Reacts To LeBron James
James' hard-hitting statement reached famed analyst Stephen A. Smith, who spared six minutes of First Take to answer the Lakers captain.
“First of all, there’s a whole bunch of players that cover the league. They’re former players. They’re not just reporters, they’re former players. Former big-time players, former Hall-of-Fame players, they talk about the league too,” Smith ranted Friday morning on First Take. “Is everything negative?
“I want to say this too. There’s a narrative that goes around these days…where if you’re a brother and you’re talking about brothers, ‘Oh, you’re just hating on brothers.’ It’s like Black-on-Black crime. Well if a brother busts your ass, and you happen to be a brother that got your ass busted, then how is it that? You’re praising the brother that gave it to you and you’re highlighting the brother that got it given to him. That’s what you’re doing. But people don’t bring this kind of stuff up.”
“To sit up there and say, ‘Why would you want to be the face of the league when everybody is talking ‘bleep’ about you all the damn time,’ I’m sick and tired of them acting like everybody is talking ‘bleep’ about them all the damn time.”
James’ rant, which echoed what his head coach JJ Redick said earlier this season, may have been an overreaction to an NBA media that largely provides a soft-landing spot for the league’s players and teams.