Stephen A. Smith is owning up to a mistake he made as his LeBron James feud intensifies … apologizing for claiming the Lakers superstar didn’t attend the memorial service for Kobe Bryant.
The ESPN host incorrectly stated during his passionate rant on Thursday’s “First Take” that James was nowhere to be found when the basketball community mourned Bryant’s tragic death at the then-Staples Center following the Hall of Famer’s tragic death in 2020.
According to multiple reports, James was, in fact, in the building … but requested not to be shown during a livestream of the emotional event.
Later in the day, Smith cleared the air on the statement that made rounds on social media.
“My apologies and clarification,” Smith said 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.”
However, Smith doesn’t regret anything else he said in the rant … including the part where he ripped James for not going to Dwyane Wade‘s Hall of Fame induction ceremony … even though LeBron was dealing with his son Bronny James‘ medical emergency around that time.
ESPN
“I retract NOTHING else that I said,” Smith continued. “Have a nice day.”
In other words, Smith is standing by his stance that James will never be the G.O.A.T. … or that he would’ve swung on the 6’9″ athlete if their initial confrontation got physical.
