ESPN's Brian Windhorst: 'LeBron James Doesn't Owe Me Anything'
03/29/2025 11:10 AM
Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James appeared on the Pat McAfee Show, where he openly spoke out about the NBA media landscape, including taking shots at ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith and Brian Windhorst.
James did not mince words, mainly with Smith, as the two have gotten into a back-and-forth regarding Bronny James. The jab at Windhorst came as a bit of a surprise considering he has been covering the Lakers star since he became a high school phenom. LeBron’s issue though was regarding recent comments about why he chose to sign with Nike, which he felt Windhorst misrepresented.
Windhorst shared his reaction to James’ comments and seemed to have no ill will, via ESPN Cleveland:
"LeBron doesn't owe me anything. I owe him a lot. He has been a great friend to my hometown and my alma mater. That I would stand on. Anything else, I would never say or never stand on. Just know, I met LeBron 25 years ago. And my understanding of LeBron and where people stand in his life has been crystal clear."
This NBA season is potentially the most contentious coverage of the game has been and James has finally decided to speak up about it.
Due to the Lakers being one of the most valuable franchises in all of sports, they are constantly a topic of discussion and one of the greatest players ever is in L.A. currently with LeBron. Unfortunately, things spiraled out of control with Smith’s comments on First Take over a month ago, and James frankly seemed to have enough after confronting him at a recent game.
Tying it back to Windhorst, for him to amicably say his peace and not turn it into a publicity stunt is refreshing. As NBA coverage continues to be a touchy subject for players and fans, hopefully, level-headed discussions can be had without dragging on personal matters.
Adam Silver gives thoughts on LeBron James-Stephen A. Smith drama
This week became a busy one for LeBron James after his appearance on the Pat McAfee Show on Wednesday, which prompted public discourse and Stephen A. Smith making a response later that day.
So much so that NBA commissioner Adam Silver made a statement on this back-and-forth and he shared the sentiment that he wished personal business would have been kept out of it.
Silver also talked about the manner in which it was covered, stating he wishes the NBA could be celebrated more like other sports are through the media.
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