Charles Barkley turned off by ‘bully’ LeBron James in confrontation with Stephen A. Smith

Charles Barkley has been keeping an eye on the discourse between superstar LeBron James and Stephen A. Smith.

Charles Barkley turned off by ‘bully’ LeBron James in confrontation with Stephen A. Smith

Charles Barkley saw LeBron James and Stephen A. Smith's discourse unfold

LeBron James and Stephen A. Smith‘s back-and-forth has all of engulfed sports media. It all started when the Los Angeles Lakers superstar slammed the ESPN analyst as well as other veteran media members such as Charles Barkley. Now the entire discourse has everyone shaking their heads.

After James confronted Smith at a Lakers game, Barkley jokingly alluded that he did not want any confrontation and tried to make peace. But Smith was not going to go that route and instead, went after James. That led to The Pat McAfee Show interview where the 40-year-old basically trolled the ESPN analyst.

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It ticked Smith off and he doubled down on his rhetoric. Shannon Sharpe and others pleaded Smith to stop. But one LeBron James IG post sent Smith on a tirade. He brought in Kobe Bryant‘s death and Dwyane Wade‘s Hall of Fame ceremonies to paint James in a negative light. When Charles Barkley was asked about this discourse, he said.

LeBron, he’s too big to be that type of bully. To bully Stephen A., to bully Brian Windhorst. Brian Windhorst is a sweet person, man. He’s just trying to do his thing. And I’ve always liked LeBron, but him being a bully, it turned me off.

Charles Barkley said

The Hall of Famer believes LeBron James is too big of a person to go after and bully Stephen A. Smith and Brian Windhorst. Barkley felt there was no need to, particularly the way James criticized Windhorst, who has always been on the Lakers star’s side.

Charles Barkley calls Stephen A. Smith ‘weak’

The Los Angeles Lakers superstar was not the only one to face some music from Charles Barkley. As he continued to talk about the topic on the Dan Patrick Show, he then turned towards how his good friend Stephen A. Smith has been behaving.

But I will say this: Stephen A., the way he reacted, was so lame and weak. Stephen A. is a good dude, man, but for him to react. But the way Stephen A. reacted, going on Gilbert (Arenas’s) podcast, talking tough, come on, man. You’re better than that.

Charles Barkley said

The Round Mound of Rebound added that the Kobe Bryant memorial part killed it off for Smith. Barkley believes that and the subsequent apology ended up turning the entire situation in the favor of LeBron James. Now Smith ends up looking foolish and has lost face after he resorted to lies to win the battle.

Barkley did come back around and say that James did not do right by going on a show and call the ESPN analysts out. But at the same time, Smith should have not walked down this path. Now the discourse has seemingly come back to bite him.

Barkley believes Bronny James should stay in the G League

While discussing the LeBron James and Stephen A. Smith discourse, host Dan Patrick asked Charles Barkley about Bronny James. Particularly since that discourse started with Smith’s seemingly questioned the four-time MVP‘s ability to be a father.

I think it was a great story for them to go on the court together. But he should be in the G League. You don’t get better sitting on the bench.

Charles Barkley

The TNT analyst added that James Jr. is developing well. But even then, he should stay in the G League. Those five or ten garbage minutes are not going to help him at all. Rather, Barkley believes if he just concentrates on the G League, it will greatly benefit his development and his future in the NBA.