The escalating feud between LeBron James and Stephen A. Smith last month, sparked by Smith’s remarks regarding James’ son, garnered rare attention from Pardon the Interruption host Michael Wilbon. He voiced strong support for James while criticizing ESPN’s coverage of Bronny James. This week, as tensions between James and Smith seem to be fading, Wilbon joined the Waddle & Silvy show in Chicago, reiterating his criticisms to OutKick and challenging ESPN to contest his statements.
“(James) and Stephen A. are big boys; they’re sort of equals in this,” Wilbon remarked. “They’re guys of stature … I’m not getting involved in their stuff. I don’t care about their stuff. I don’t consume it. I don’t give a damn about their back-and-forth with each other.” He emphasized that his issue wasn’t with the jabs exchanged by James or Smith, but with ESPN’s tendency to obsess over the Bronny story since last year’s NBA Draft.
“My objection is to everybody talking about Bronny all the time for about three months. I found it disgraceful,” Wilbon continued. “I found it less than the professional-level standard that I became accustomed to personally at Northwestern, at The Washington Post. Just talking about Bronny James, for what?” Here’s a clip of Wilbon’s appearance on that show shared by OutKick’s Bobby Burack:
Michael Wilbon addressed his interview with me @OutKick. He said the bosses didn’t push back at his criticism of the company, he stands by his comments, appreciated the interview, and knew he could speak candidly with me.
Audio clip below: https://t.co/PZDohkApCJ pic.twitter.com/3ZKbI6ZUnA
— Bobby Burack (@burackbobby_) April 2, 2025
Wilbon also highlighted how PTI approached Bronny’s draft to the Lakers, stating he and cohost Tony Kornheiser made it clear they would not engage in the topic. “Producers would ask Tony and me to talk about it, and not only would we say no, we’d say no colorfully and forcefully,” Wilbon explained.
When asked if ESPN management took issue with his comments and criticism of the network’s editorial priorities, Wilbon replied no. “That’s how I feel. I’ve said it (before), I wanted to say it,” he affirmed. “I knew OutKick with Bobby would print it as I said it, which was raw. And since certain shows on our network allow for that kind of candid expression, I don’t anticipate pushback.” If anyone has the credibility to critique ESPN from the inside, it’s the experienced duo of PTI. However, such “ESPN on ESPN crime” is typically frowned upon; Wilbon’s clever reference to Pat McAfee, who has gained notoriety for his boldness since joining ESPN in 2023, could serve as a strategic navigation through these waters.
