Dwyane Wade chooses side in LeBron James, Stephen A. Smith beef

03/12/2025 11:08 AM

Dwyane Wade had no issue with how LeBron James confronted Stephen A. Smith last week. In fact, the Miami Heat legend made it clear he would have done the exact same thing, TMZ reports.

Dwyane Wade tells TMZ that he spoke to Stephen A Smith & says he would have walked up to him like Lebron James did pic.twitter.com/EAwBWQXSIF

— 2Cool2Blog (@2Cool2Blog) March 12, 2025

James was seen on video getting in Smith's face during a Los Angeles Lakers game against the New York Knicks. The reason? Defending his son, Bronny. The four-time NBA champion felt Smith had been too critical of the USC guard, and he made sure to let the ESPN analyst know about it—loudly and up close.

Wade Backs His Former Teammate

Wade, who played alongside James in Miami from 2010-2014, completely sided with his longtime friend. When TMZ Sports caught up with him in New York, he made his stance clear.

"I told him if I was ‘Bron, I would have walked up on him the same way," Wade said.

The Heat icon even revealed that he spoke to Smith about the confrontation. While he respects both men, he understood James' frustration as a father. Having raised his own kids in the public eye, Wade related to the emotions James must have felt when Smith criticized Bronny.

Stephen A. Smith's Take and Wade's Ultimate Praise

Smith, for his part, acknowledged James' frustration but expressed disappointment in how it played out. On First Take, he admitted he would have preferred James to handle the matter privately.

Despite the heated exchange, Dwyane Wade had nothing but praise for James. He even suggested the NBA’s all-time leading scorer deserves a statue—not just outside the Lakers' arena, or even in Miami, but in front of the NBA headquarters in New York City.

"He deserves one right here in New York in front of the NBA offices," Wade said. "He's one of the G.O.A.Ts."

James’ legacy speaks for itself. He's the only player in NBA history to win championships for three different franchises—two titles in Miami, one in Cleveland, and another in Los Angeles. Whether he gets that New York statue or not, his impact on the game is undeniable.

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