LeBron James’ remarks about ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith may have been the major talking point coming out of his interview with Pat McAfee on Wednesday, but he did take a swipe at another reporter on the network.
The Los Angeles Lakers star roasted NBA reporter Brian Windhorst during the conversation as well.
“I see a lot of s— too. I see Brian Windhorst on one of these shows not too long ago. The guy who says he’s like my f—ing best friend,” James said. “These guys … it’s weird.”
McAfee and his crew were taken aback a bit.
“He went on his show and said, you know, like, ‘Don’t let LeBron fool you, like, he wears No. 23 because of Michael Jordan.’ OK, that’s a fact.
“’He signed with Nike because of Michael Jordan.’ It’s like, no the f— I didn’t. I signed with Nike because I got a helluva signing bonus, and they gave me a seven-year, $90 million contract, and I moved my mom out of the hood the next day I signed that contract. Ultimately, my whole thing is like, what do I want to wear off the court? I want to wear f—ing Nikes.”
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Windhorst has been the main reporter on James’ beat since he broke into the NBA with the Cleveland Cavaliers out of high school in 2004. He was the beat writer for the Cavaliers with the Akron Beacon Journal and then worked for the Cleveland Plain Dealer before moving to ESPN in 2010 as James left the Cavaliers for the Heat.
Windhorst and James both attended St. Vincent-St. Mary’s High School, but at different times. The reporter attended Kent State before breaking into the news. The veteran writer has not reacted to James’ comments as of yet.
James’ comments were a part of a larger conversation about the media and how the NBA is covered. He said he initially started a podcast with J.J. Redick, the current Lakers coach, because of it.
“It was a looseness of the sport being covered and how the sport should be covered. It had gotten away from the essence of the game of basketball, of why I fell in love with the game, why I teach the younger generation the game, why I’m in the position that I am in,” James said.
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