ESPN analyst Stephen A. Smith has a message for Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James following his recent comments about the Miami Heat.
James recently said that even if he hadn’t spent four seasons with the Heat in his career, he would be the same player.
Obviously, James won two championships with Miami and made four NBA Finals appearances, and Smith believes the NBA’s all-time scoring leader needs to show more love during his time with the Heat.
“LeBron what’s wrong with you?” Smith asked. “What the hell is wrong with you? Let me tell you something. LeBron James lost in Boston, when he went to Miami – how did that happen?
“James Dolan talks about making him a billionaire. That’s not going to work. Other teams are looking at him, too. Pat Riley rolled up and put the ring on the table. ‘You want these? Okay.’ Well, that’s how you get them.”
Smith further praised James’ former teammate – Hall of Famer Dwyane Wade – who was a key part of the Heat’s big three with James, Wade and Chris Bosh.
“Do you all understand the greatness of Hall of Famer Dwyane Wade?” Smith said. “He’s a great player. “He’s a great leader. “
Wade’s impact as a player is extremely important as he is Miami’s key offensive threat. However, he also gave James a sense of comfort, which Smith believes is important for the now Lakers star.
“LeBron – every press conference – looks at Wade – sitting next to him,” Smith said. “Why is that? Because mentally, as talented as LeBron James is, he’s mentally twisted.
“He’s afraid of free throws. He’s afraid of actually facing trouble. “Give me the rock, I’m the doubter. “I am that person.” ” So much so that even when they lost to Dallas in the Finals — with Jason Terry guarding him in the post and JJ Barea guarding him in the fourth quarter — the bottom line was this: When that happens When, the next year – All-Star break – and I’ve said this many times – LeBron James got the ball in his hands, the late great Kobe Bryant clapped his hands, “Let’s go” and guarded him . In an All-Star exhibition game, he had just been having fun, and he threw the ball into the corner and made a mistake.
“And Melo (Carmelo Anthony), D-Wade, Kobe, everyone is asking LeBron for help. “What’s wrong with you? “He’s twisted. And, that’s why Shannon Sharpe, I don’t give him the ‘Greatest of All Time’ title, because I have to take all of these things into consideration before you start winning championships.”
Smith went on to say that if James had gone up against Michael Jordan with the same mentality he had, he would “never” have won a championship.
“But because he got to Miami and learned what it takes to be a champion, he’s been unstoppable since then,” Smith said.
There’s no doubt that his time in Miami helped James’ career, especially since it allowed him to become an NBA champion before returning to the Cleveland Cavaliers to bring a championship to the team that drafted him.
After signing with Miami, James entered the NBA Finals for eight consecutive seasons. The Lakers star then headed to Los Angeles and reached the NBA Finals in the 2019-20 season, winning his first championship with the Lakers.
While James may have racked up mind-boggling statistics individually — and he’s still doing so in his 21st season — playing for the Heat arguably helped him break through and become a legitimate winner in the NBA.
Smith seems to believe James’ time with the Heat will be invaluable to his future success. The culture Riley has built in Miami is undisputed, and the team’s recent success is a testament to that.
Since Jimmy Butler joined before the 2019-20 season, the Miami Heat have reached the NBA Finals twice and the Eastern Conference Finals three times in four seasons. The team has yet to win a championship during this period but has been in contention for championships and playoff teams in all four seasons.
James, a four-time NBA champion, will continue his impressive resume with the Lakers this season.