The NBA world had long been awaiting LeBron James’ free-agency decision. Once he finally decided to sign with the Philadelphia 76ers, reactions poured in from all corners of the country, from Stephen A. Smith to President Donald Trump.
Trump may have had one of the most interesting reactions. When asked who was the better player between Michael Jordan and James, Trump chose the former and suggested that the latter “might be a racist.”
Now, Smith has responded to the president’s polarizing take on the four-time MVP.
Stephen A. Smith Calls Donald Trump’s LeBron James Remarks ‘Disgusting’
Of course, being that it was a basketball topic, Smith heard what the president had to say about the Jordan vs. James debate. Only, Smith didn’t care that Trump chose Jordan over James, as people are allowed to have opinions.
What Smith didn’t care for was the fact that Trump pegged James as a “racist.”
As a result, Smith took to his “Straight Shooter with Stephen A.” podcast on SiriusXM radio to respond to the president. Ultimately, Smith declared he’d had enough.
“Our president is trifling. When you’re calling LeBron James a racist, you know what, it’s really getting ridiculous,” Smith said. “The divisiveness, the way that this man acts. The things that he says is really, really disgusting. Because at some point in time, we gotta call stuff out.
“We gotta call it out for what we see. We gotta call it out for what it is. Because the only way that the world is gonna become a better place is when we call out trifling tendencies, even if it’s from our president. Even if it’s from our commander in chief. And this is the latest salvo that he’s thrown in somebody’s direction, ultimately to distract from the [expletive] that he’s doing.”
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Smith continued to make it known he’s not taking any sides in the world of politics.
“If you’re gonna make the world a better place, if you’re gonna contribute to this country going back in a forward direction, that’s what you gotta do,” Smith noted. “And Democrats, don’t sit up there saying, ‘Yay, yay, way to go, Stephen A., way to go.’ I ain’t done with your [expletive] yet either.”
The outspoken ESPN analyst later briefly turned the conversation back to basketball before explaining his stance.
“Ladies and gentlemen, LeBron James, for some of you non-basketball fans that were living under a rock and don’t know any better, LeBron James decided to become a Philadelphia 76er this Friday,” Smith continued.
“The LeBron James that I’m talking about, universally recognized as one of the greatest basketball players to have ever lived. Who has his ‘I Promise’ school for at-risk kids. In the end, what is [Trump] talking about? … You’re the commander in chief, the president of the United States, and you’re gonna call this Black man a racist?”
Smith went on to question whether Trump may be critical of James because of the future Hall of Famer’s past support of Democratic presidential candidates.
“Would that be because LeBron James endorsed Hillary Rodham Clinton in 2016, then endorsed [Joe] Biden in 2020, then endorsed Kamala Harris in 2024?” Smith asked. “Could be. Last time I checked, the only Democratic candidate LeBron James ever really stood up for was Barack Obama. Everything since then has basically been anti-Trump.
“It ain’t even an indictment against conservatism or conservatives; it’s an indictment against that man because of the way he acts, the way he behaves, the way he serves to polarize instead of galvanize. When is everybody going to step up and call it for what it is?
“Because the Republican Party that I remember was once about standards. The conservatives that I remember were once about standards and decorum and the way that you act and conduct and comport yourself.”
I Held it in Long Enough, I’m Done!
Missed the Discussion? Watch my Full Take on YouTube. pic.twitter.com/QMwBfdvX0s
— Stephen A Smith (@stephenasmith) July 29, 2026
Smith didn’t react to Trump’s controversial phrasing right away. He understandably took some time to compose himself and really contemplated how he wanted to go on the attack. Once he did, it was like he couldn’t stop.
As Smith noted, James hasn’t been supportive of the current president. In fact, after Trump was re-elected in 2024, James posted a heartfelt message vowing to “protect” his daughter Zhuri.
Clearly, Trump and James are at odds, and Smith finds himself defending James on this one.
