Stephen A. Smith is undeniably a talented actor and the face of ESPN, known for his captivating monologues on First Take. Recently, he delivered a dramatic plea to LeBron James during ESPN’s broadcast, urging him as a “father” to “stop this” regarding his son Bronny James.
The call was sparked by Bronny’s performance in the Los Angeles Lakers’ 118-104 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers, where he played just 15 minutes, shooting 0-for-5 from the field with three turnovers. Clearly overmatched, Smith, in a theatrical display worthy of a soap opera, was seen pleading with LeBron in a manner that left Dan Patrick and his Dannettes in stitches. “I’m really, really trying to be as respectful as I possibly can be toward LeBron James, one of the top two or three players in the history of basketball,” Smith expressed. “I am pleading with LeBron James, as a father. Stop this. Stop this. We all know that Bronny James is in the NBA because of his dad. The first game of the season … an absolutely, positively wonderful story.”
He continued, stating, “And then reality sets in. We love what we’re seeing from (Bronny) in the G League because that’s where you belong, as you hone your skills and get better and you legitimately earn, which I believe he has the potential to do. I am rooting for Bronny James … he’s a wonderful kid, I wish him nothing but the best.”
“I am pleading with LeBron James, as a father. Stop this.” 😳 @stephenasmith reacts to Bronny James’ play in the Lakers 118-104 loss to the 76ers. pic.twitter.com/bk5D0DS42N
— First Take (@FirstTake) January 29, 2025
Patrick couldn’t help but giggle as he played the audio on Friday’s edition of The Dan Patrick Show and praised Smith’s skills while pointing out the dramatic tone he took during his monologue to LeBron. “You’re not sending him to Afghanistan — good God! Oh my God, I wasn’t that serious at my mom’s funeral,” Patrick remarked. “‘Stop this.’ ‘Stop this.’ ‘[I am] pleading with you.’ Wow. If you didn’t know the context, you’d be like, ‘Oh my God, somebody passed away. What happened?’” While Smith attempted to be respectful, Patrick was struggling not to laugh.
“He’s a great actor,” Patrick concluded about Smith. “He’s great — absolutely. There is always theatre…” Adding humor to the situation, he noted, “He got into a basketball game; he’s not in Iraq.” But listening to Smith, one might think he was. “It sounds like Liam Neeson in Taken,” Patrick quipped.
