Smith renews feud with LeBron over racial double standard

Stephen A. Smith renewed a monthslong public feud with LeBron James this week, accusing the NBA star of treating Black critics more harshly than white critics and revisiting a March courtside confrontation that exposed a rift between the two. Smith made the remarks on The Pivot Podcast as he defended prior comments about James and his son, Bronny, and said the exchange has left the two without a relationship.

The confrontation took place in March during a game between the Los Angeles Lakers and the New York Knicks, when cameras captured James approaching Smith at courtside and telling him to stop discussing Bronny. The incident followed on-air criticism from Smith that questioned Bronny James's readiness for the NBA and suggested LeBron had pushed to secure roster opportunities for his son. Smith has said those comments were about LeBron's decisions and not an attack on his child; James told Smith at the time that the remarks were too personal for sports commentary.

On the podcast, Smith reiterated that he did not attack a child and accused James of a racially charged double standard in how he reacts to media scrutiny. "You ever see LeBron go at a White boy? Let's call it what...