NBA Commissioner Adam Silver made his stance clear on LeBron James and Stephen A. Smith drama

The ongoing public spat between LeBron James and ESPN analyst Stephen A. Smith has been a subject of discussion in recent times. The NBA Commissioner, Adam Silver, also stepped in to share his thoughts on the matter as the feud between the analyst and the veteran Los Angeles Lakers star escalates. As of now, both parties are throwing shade at each other, while Silver has made his feelings known about the whole ordeal without taking any side.

While attending meetings with league owners in New York, Silver began receiving a flood of messages about the heated exchanges between James and Smith.
“I received several texts that said, ‘Are you watching this?’” Silver said, via Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints. “We are a particular sport in which that kind of debate seems to be a part of this league.”

Unlike other major sports leagues, the NBA’s media coverage often thrives on debate and controversy. Silver asserted that it is something he acknowledged as both a strength and a weakness. He noted that the league certainly enjoys an unparalleled level of social media engagement, but the constant scrutiny can sometimes go too far.
“Sometimes it seems that in other sports... It seems to be more celebratory often than it is in the NBA, and I accept it,” Silver stated, via USA TODAY. “We're often the beneficiary, too. There's seemingly as much social media interest in this league at times in all the other leagues combined. So, it's a two-edged sword. Sometimes, it's measured in column inches, and it's wonderful to see so much interest in our sport. At the other time, I cringe at a lot of the coverage.”
The tension between Smith and James reached new heights following comments from Smith suggesting that Bronny James, LeBron’s son, received NBA opportunities solely due to his father’s influence. Smith even went as far as to question James’ parenting, which did not sit well with the Lakers star. Their dispute boiled over into a courtside confrontation during a Lakers-Knicks game on March 6.
James later took aim at Smith during an appearance on The Pat McAfee Show, sarcastically comparing Smith’s media presence to a worldwide tour. “He’s like on a Taylor Swift tour run right now,” James quipped. The remark ignited another round of rebuttals from Smith, who fired back the following morning on First Take, saying that the Lakers legend does not matter much.
Silver made it clear that he was not taking sides in the feud, but he did express disappointment in how personal the exchanges had become.
“When it becomes very personal between a media member and a player, it’s not something I want to see as the commissioner of this league,” Silver said.
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Still, the public feud is far from ending as James trolled Smith after his physical altercation remark if James initiated.