The NBA regular season action has started, and with that, the feud between Stephen A. Smith and LeBron James has officially been reignited. The analyst and the future Hall of Famer clashed after their very public argument last season, which involved James’ son, Bronny.
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The King didn’t like that Smith was talking smack about Bronny and let him hear about it. Things died down, and there weren’t really any verbal battles over the summer. Life was peaceful, to say the least.
Then, on the eve of tip-off, Smith landed the first body slam of the 25-26 season. The $100 million man was on Carmelo Anthony’s 7PM In Brooklyn podcast when he straight-up claimed, “I don’t like his a**,” while talking about James.
One person who loved this outburst was Channing Frye. The retired Cavaliers star analyzed Smith’s bombshell on the Road Trippin podcast alongside fellow veteran Richard Jefferson.
“I think this is hilarious. Speak your truth, Stephen A. Speak it right before the season,” joked Frye, who clearly didn’t care too much about the rivalry. But he was happy to let it entertain him before 82 games of talking ball. He even commended Smith for taking this approach before tip-off.
“The man’s a genius. This offseason has been pretty slow for the most part. He’s a genius when it comes to garnering attention. When you generate billions of views, you know what the F you’re doing,” added Frye.
That’s true, of course. If SAS is good at one thing, it’s capitalizing on a story and somehow making it more about himself than anything else. Few can do it with such poise and showmanship. There’s a reason there are rumors he might run for President someday.
Frye knows this as well. He mentioned again how this comment from Smith came on Melo’s podcast, and the timing was perfect. “If he didn’t want to talk about Bron, he wouldn’t talk about Bron,” he said.
To set the stage even further, Frye compared the situation to a WWE rivalry, specifically, the one between Macho Man Randy Savage and Hulk Hogan. “It’s great TV.” F*** LeBron,” he said with a smile. “I’m gonna say it to. F*** LeBron. I hate him too. I’m just kidding.”
Frye was obviously kidding. He is close with both Smith and Bron and doesn’t really seem like he wants any beef with either of them. “I like it that he says I don’t like him. Keep it real, and that’s what he’s doing,” added Frye.
So, as the NBA season tips off, Smith and James are already giving fans a sideshow before the main event even starts. Whether it’s genuine tension or just smart timing from a media mastermind, Stephen A. knows exactly how to keep his name buzzing.
Frye and the rest of us might just be here for the laughs. But let’s be honest, it’s working. If this is how the season starts, just imagine what the next few months of drama, debates, and dunks will bring.
