When it comes to sports media literacy, opinions about Brian Windhorst have always served as my litmus test. If you think he’s merely a hanger-on at ESPN, riding the coattails of LeBron James’ basketball stardom, then I’m afraid you’ve missed the mark. However, if you view him as one of the most informed, hard-working, and versatile personalities in sports media today, I’m all ears.
Unfortunately, LeBron James did not pass my test. While his escalating feud with Stephen A. Smith garnered most of the attention during his hour-long conversation with Pat McAfee, it was his unprovoked jab at Windhorst that resonated with me. For reasons I cannot articulate, the 40-year-old Los Angeles Lakers superstar took a shot at the reporter who has covered his career since childhood. “I see a lot of s**t too. Like I see Brian Windhorst on one of these shows not too long ago,” James remarked before being interrupted by McAfee.
“This guy who says he’s my f-cking best friend. These guys are just weird.”
LeBron James on Brian Windhorst 😂 pic.twitter.com/jrQgLgG1mc
— Underdog (@Underdog) March 26, 2025
It appears Windhorst’s comments about Michael Jordan influencing James’ decision to sign with Nike sparked this ire. Contrary to Windhorst’s suggestion, James clarified that the $90 million signing bonus and his desire to wear Jordans were major factors. “What do I want to wear off the court? I was like, ‘I want to wear f**king Nike.’ I want to wear Jordans,” he explained to McAfee.
“I do wear number 23 because of Michael Jordan.. I signed with Nike because I got a hell of a signing bonus and moved my mom outta the hood the day after I signed that contract.. I also wanted to wear Nike off the court” @KingJames #PMSLive pic.twitter.com/BNyQ8Lfhpu
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) March 26, 2025
James was likely referencing Windhorst’s remarks on First Take, which may explain his harsh tone. While Windhorst might have suggested that Jordan played a significant role in James’ shoe decision, James knows Windhorst is aware it wasn’t the sole factor, having extensively covered the topic in his 2019 book, LeBron Inc. Interestingly, it seems to be James whose narrative doesn’t completely hold up: all parties agree that Reebok offered him the most lucrative deal.
This isn’t merely about a shoe deal. What struck me most about James’ comments was their personal nature. Windhorst has never claimed to be James’ “best friend,” and such a claim reinforces the misconception that Windhorst’s success is solely due to his high school connection with James.
While Windhorst was fortunate to cover James when he did, providing him a unique platform to learn about the NBA at a broader level, he was not the only writer covering the Cavs from 2003-2010. By the time James returned to Cleveland in 2014, Windhorst had already established himself as a national NBA reporter.
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While Windhorst still covers James’ career, he does so from a broader perspective, yet their names will always be linked. Many sports journalists aspire to be recognized as authorities on one of the greatest athletes of all time. Windhorst deserves praise for evolving to cover the league comprehensively rather than solely focusing on James.
Ultimately, those in the know understand Windhorst’s value, as demonstrated by the overwhelming support for him following James’ unprovoked criticism. Windhorst, graciously, refrained from making it about himself, even when Smith noted that James had mentioned no one knows him better than his fellow Akronite. As a long-time fan of James, I felt disappointed by his personal attack on someone who has contributed significantly to fans’ enjoyment of his career. If there’s a deeper explanation, I’d love to hear it, though based on my litmus test, I doubt any conversation I have with James about sports media would be a lengthy one.
