Michael Wilbon is one of the most respected sports media figures and a co-host of the show “Pardon the Interruption,” which debuted on ESPN in 2001. Known for its fast-paced debates with Tony Kornheiser, the show has remained one of ESPN’s most popular programs for decades.
A journalist and TV personality for over 40 years, Wilbon has talked about many different storylines in his career. However, one he refuses to entertain is the narrative that Bronny James is only in the NBA because of his father, LeBron James.
Michael Wilbon Rips Into NBA Media About Bronny James
Wilbon recently spoke to OutKick about the controversy with LeBron and Stephen A. Smith in an interview. He admitted that he hates how the media has treated Bronny amid the ongoing feud between the league’s all-time leading scorer and the “First Take” panelist.
“[‘Pardon the Interruption’] did not talk about Bronny. We never did. All the Bronny talk that our network did was pandering,” Wilbon stated. “It was for clicks and eyeballs. I refused to participate. You can go back and look, ‘PTI’ didn’t cover him, except for maybe the real news, like the day after he was drafted. Those other shows, it was every day. Bronny. Bronny. Bronny. What the hell is this? It was a disaster waiting to happen.”
The controversy blew up when LeBron confronted Smith courtside after his comments about Bronny. Smith noted that teams could treat Bronny like any rookie or give him special treatment due to his father’s status. This sparked debate over media bias and whether Bronny would receive unfair scrutiny or an undeserved pass because of his father.
“I have a 17-year-old son, so this matters to me,” Wilbon continued. “I am particularly sensitive to it. I’d do anything for my kid, and I would hug LeBron for what he did for his kid. I am a father first. That’s how I see this story — not as a columnist or a talking head — but as a father first. So, I get what LeBron did. And LeBron has also been great to my kid.”
“But as far as coverage, no. There were shows that talked about Bronny every day. You know what shows I’m talking about. I don’t care if my bosses get mad. They would try to get Tony and me to talk about it. No, we were not going to do it. … They talked about him more than Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. That’s pandering. It’s all pandering.”
Bronny has indeed received more coverage than current stars in the league, dating back to the 2024 NBA Draft. One might think that the media would focus on bigger storylines rather than a rookie without any outside controversy, but that has not been the case.
“Let me be clear: our business is a piece of s*** a lot of days. There is nobody enforcing standards or having tough conversations. This is what happens when you no longer have functioning newsrooms because everyone is working from hotel rooms, from their bedrooms, and maybe even from their beds.”
“People are not in newsrooms anymore or a studio, where you can call them out on their bulls***,” Wilbon concluded. “That’s a problem. Instead, there are a bunch of 20-year-olds pitching stories while spending all day on social media and reinforcing each other’s bulls***. It’s 100% pandering, and I hate it.”
Even though Wilbon’s integrity should be applauded, the reality is that sports media will never change. Outlets like ESPN will always focus on the trending stories, especially those surrounding the James family and Smith.