The voice of sports media just did something extremely rare.
Stephen A. Smith apologized and admitted he made a mistake.
X/@FIRSTTAKESmith went on First Take on Thursday morning and aired out more of his grievances against LeBron James, as the two have engaged very publicly in a war of words over the course of the last several weeks.
James went on The Pat McAfee Show and took a few jabs at Smith.
So what did Smith do?
He tried to get back at James by revealing a few inaccurate claims about James, to which Smith later then apologized for.
In essence, Smith has been ‘crashing out’ as the kids say.
He went on First Take and said this about James.
“If LeBron James wants to see me continue to cover this sport, or he wants to have a problem with me continuing to cover this sport, I suggest that he be happy with the things that I haven’t brought up,” Smith said.
“I never brought up really and never really discussed why you were not at Kobe Bryant’s memorial service.
“I never really brought up or discussed why you did not attend Dwyane Wade’s Hall of Fame induction when that man was directly responsible for you capturing a championship for the first time in your career.
“I brought up none of that…
“But LeBron James, at the end of the day, wants to come at me, and he’s walking around pouting.”
The only problem with what Smith said?
It was all wrong, as James was indeed in attendance for Bryant’s memorial service.
The Los Angeles Times and Washington Post confirmed James was in attendance, but asked the cameras not to capture him, in respect to Bryant and his family.
Hours after First Take ended, Smith took to social media to admit his mistake.
“My apologies and clarification,” Smith wrote on X.
“I misspoke in Hour#1 of @FirstTake today when I intimated that LeBron did not attend Kobe Bryant’s memorial.
“I corrected myself in Hour#2 when I acknowledged he was indeed in attendance.
“My mistake. Should not have even broached that subject. It was not my main point.
“I retract NOTHING else that I said. Have a nice day!”
It’s been an ugly game of he-said, she-said between James and Smith, and doesn’t seem to be slowing down anytime soon.
