Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James stirred controversy during his appearance on The Pat McAfee Show, taking an expletive-laced jab at ESPN reporter Brian Windhorst. The remarks quickly drew a fiery response from ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith, who came to Windhorst’s defense.

James, speaking on the show, dismissed Windhorst’s long-standing coverage of his career, saying, “Yeah…This guy says he’s like my f—in’ best friend…These guys is just weird.”

Windhorst has covered James since his high school days, documenting his rise from a teenage prodigy to the NBA’s all-time leading scorer.

Smith, in a video posted to social media, pushed back on James’ comments, highlighting Windhorst’s professionalism and deep knowledge of the Lakers star.

“I have worked with Brian Windhorst for years. Never once did he say that LeBron was a best friend,” Smith stated. “A matter of fact, years earlier it was LeBron who sat in front of the microphones and said, probably nobody knows me better than Brian Windhorst, who’s been covering me since I was in junior high school.”

Smith also pointed out that Windhorst has consistently covered James in a fair and balanced manner, often leaning towards the positive aspects of his career.

“Nobody digs deeper, maneuvers through the crevices to find the positive about LeBron James, no matter what the story is… But that’s how LeBron talked about him,” Smith concluded.

After Lakers win against Pacers in which LeBron scored a buzzer beater, he went on social media trolling Smith. Earlier, Smith had said he’d have ‘taken a swing’ at LeBron if their confrontation early on in the month turned physical.

The exchange has fueled discussions on social media, with fans and analysts debating James’ remarks and the broader relationship between athletes and the media.